Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jinan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jinan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,036 per month in Shenzhen vs $644 in Jinan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,671 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,044 in Jinan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,306 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,444 in Jinan, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 61% more than Jinan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Jinan are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 24% lower, Jinan 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.57

$2.20 ¥14.79

72.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.81 ¥201

$23.99 ¥162

24.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.03 ¥33.90

$5.00 ¥33.66

0.60%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.73

$2.30 ¥15.53

33.91%

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

$0.51 ¥3.41

$0.43 ¥2.87

18.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.24

$0.21 ¥1.41

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.44 ¥9.73

$0.89 ¥6.02

61.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.75 ¥11.78

$2.03 ¥13.68

-13.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥10.76

$1.77 ¥11.95

-9.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥11.83

$1.46 ¥9.83

20.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.58

$1.23 ¥8.30

-8.94%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.40

$1.18 ¥7.94

43.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.98 ¥128

$11.68 ¥78.7

62.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.44 ¥23.19

$3.21 ¥21.60

7.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.64 ¥91.9

$10.91 ¥73.5

25.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.22

$2.07 ¥13.91

1.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.54 ¥10.41

$1.08 ¥7.31

42.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.24

$1.86 ¥12.53

-10.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 ¥9.32

$1.39 ¥9.37

-0.72%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.69 ¥4.62

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.96

$0.75 ¥5.05

77.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.50 ¥3.36

$0.53 ¥3.57

-5.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.66 ¥4.43

-18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.12 ¥27.77

$3.74 ¥25.18

10.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.11 ¥88.3

$10.18 ¥68.6

28.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.13

$0.65 ¥4.36

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 ¥12.41

$1.31 ¥8.85

40.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ¥3.10

$0.31 ¥2.10

48.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.87 ¥147

$8.83 ¥59.5

147.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.90

$1.75 ¥11.82

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.62

$0.32 ¥2.18

21.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.04 ¥47.44

$4.49 ¥30.24

56.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.46

$1.22 ¥8.22

3.28%

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

$19.2K ¥129.1K

$19.1K ¥128.6K

0.35%

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

$17.8K ¥120.1K

$15.1K ¥101.7K

18.07%

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

$56.3 ¥379

$72.9 ¥491

-22.69%

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

$9.09 ¥61.3

$6.68 ¥45.00

36.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.20 ¥75.4

$4.99 ¥33.60

124.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.03 ¥324

$31.12 ¥210

54.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.31 ¥103

$8.94 ¥60.2

71.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ¥50.4

$5.78 ¥38.92

29.41%

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

$474 ¥3,190

$216 ¥1,455

119.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.9K ¥140.6K

$20.1K ¥135.2K

3.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.07 ¥283

$33.14 ¥223

26.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.47 ¥246

$42.82 ¥288

-14.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥463

$69.5 ¥468

-1.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$88.1 ¥594

$68.7 ¥463

28.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$677 ¥4,563

$232 ¥1,563

191.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$434 ¥2,927

$135 ¥913

220.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,792 ¥12.1K

$560 ¥3,775

219.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$886 ¥5,971

$338 ¥2,278

162.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.8K ¥86.2K

$2,369 ¥16.0K

440.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,220 ¥41.9K

$1,273 ¥8,573

388.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,712 ¥11.5K

$960 ¥6,469

78.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.13

8.63%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 4, 2026

Last update for Jinan: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $677 in Shenzhen versus $232 in Jinan. 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 78% 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 $30.00 in Shenzhen versus $24.00 in Jinan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $197 – making Jinan 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 Jinan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen costs about 61% more than Jinan, 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 $1,554 per month in Shenzhen and $965 in Jinan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shenzhen and $24.00 in Jinan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,036 in Shenzhen and $644 in Jinan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jinan, where all-in costs run around $644, than in Shenzhen at $1,036. In Jinan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jinan – 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 Jinan. 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.