Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jiaxing Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jiaxing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,032 per month in Shenzhen vs $639 in Jiaxing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,649 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,087 in Jiaxing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,266 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,535 in Jiaxing, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 62% more than Jiaxing, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Jiaxing are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Jiaxing 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$2.78 ¥18.78

12.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$20.62 ¥139

33.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$4.85 ¥32.78

0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$3.15 ¥21.26

5.40%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.42 ¥2.82

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.24 ¥1.61

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$0.72 ¥4.84

68.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$1.76 ¥11.88

57.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$2.32 ¥15.68

-24.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.93 ¥13.02

2.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.58 ¥3.92

103.45%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.53 ¥10.35

25.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$7.09 ¥47.93

78.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$2.85 ¥19.29

37.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$9.18 ¥62.0

45.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$1.56 ¥10.55

19.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.23 ¥8.32

18.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$1.14 ¥7.72

59.65%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$1.15 ¥7.76

20.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.60 ¥4.04

81.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$0.93 ¥6.25

52.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.88 ¥5.96

-14.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.61 ¥4.09

-6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$3.40 ¥22.97

-0.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$10.85 ¥73.3

16.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.68 ¥4.61

36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.45 ¥9.82

31.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.29 ¥1.99

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$15.19 ¥103

46.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.09 ¥7.39

55.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

$0.35 ¥2.38

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$7.10 ¥47.99

-4.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.16 ¥7.83

-1.72%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$17.3K ¥116.7K

31.53%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$14.3K ¥96.4K

45.03%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$65.3 ¥442

$34.65 ¥234

88.57%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$8.39 ¥56.7

$10.91 ¥73.7

-23.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$4.75 ¥32.10

175.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$34.89 ¥236

45.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$6.91 ¥46.67

154.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$5.50 ¥37.14

28.73%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$467 ¥3,154

$406 ¥2,741

15.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$11.8K ¥80.0K

74.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$43.20 ¥292

12.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$33.42 ¥226

-9.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$68.2 ¥461

9.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$81.9 ¥554

-3.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$260 ¥1,755

181.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$167 ¥1,130

145.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$713 ¥4,820

138.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$410 ¥2,770

121.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$4,287 ¥29.0K

201.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$1,994 ¥13.5K

200.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$801 ¥5,414

114.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.87

4.39%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Jiaxing: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $732 in Shenzhen versus $260 in Jiaxing. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 115% higher in Shenzhen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $21.00 in Jiaxing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $182 – making Jiaxing the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Shenzhen vs Jiaxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen costs about 62% more than Jiaxing, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,549 per month in Shenzhen and $958 in Jiaxing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Jiaxing, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 46% less in Jiaxing. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $467 per month in Shenzhen and $406 in Jiaxing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jiaxing, where all-in costs run around $639, than in Shenzhen at $1,032. In Jiaxing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jiaxing – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Jiaxing. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shenzhen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.