Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jingmen Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jingmen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,016 per month in Shenzhen vs $714 in Jingmen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,642 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,136 in Jingmen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,268 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,559 in Jingmen, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 42% more than Jingmen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Jingmen are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 25% lower, Jingmen 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ¥21.34

$2.74 ¥18.74

13.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.87 ¥190

$22.86 ¥156

21.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥35.17

$4.88 ¥33.33

5.53%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.67

$2.97 ¥20.31

6.73%

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

$0.52 ¥3.58

$0.41 ¥2.79

26.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.32 ¥2.19

-6.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ¥8.70

$0.87 ¥5.93

45.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.26

$2.05 ¥14.03

37.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.47

$1.82 ¥12.43

0.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 ¥13.26

$1.61 ¥11.02

20.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥8.03

$0.97 ¥6.64

21.65%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.76

$1.61 ¥11.03

16.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 ¥87.5

$12.68 ¥86.6

1.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ¥26.35

$3.22 ¥21.99

19.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ¥92.2

$10.02 ¥68.4

34.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.49

$1.79 ¥12.25

2.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.68

$1.20 ¥8.21

18.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.82

$1.38 ¥9.41

25.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.50

$1.08 ¥7.41

28.70%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.25

$0.73 ¥4.96

45.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.70

$0.91 ¥6.21

56.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ¥4.71

$0.56 ¥3.83

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.12

$0.51 ¥3.51

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥23.07

$3.18 ¥21.70

6.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 ¥99.1

$11.74 ¥80.2

23.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.32

$0.80 ¥5.46

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.67

$1.66 ¥11.37

12.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.27 ¥1.83

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ¥153

$16.93 ¥116

32.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$1.42 ¥9.71

15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.33 ¥2.24

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.79

$6.62 ¥45.23

3.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$1.18 ¥8.05

-4.24%

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

$22.7K ¥155.3K

$19.7K ¥134.5K

15.45%

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

$20.7K ¥141.2K

$16.8K ¥115.0K

22.75%

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

$67.5 ¥461

$45.83 ¥313

47.17%

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

$8.23 ¥56.2

$9.88 ¥67.5

-16.70%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.77 ¥87.3

$11.33 ¥77.4

12.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.87 ¥341

$42.09 ¥287

18.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ¥118

$13.97 ¥95.4

23.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 ¥48.69

$6.16 ¥42.05

15.75%

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

$454 ¥3,099

$336 ¥2,292

35.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K ¥138.5K

$17.3K ¥118.0K

17.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.09 ¥328

$42.92 ¥293

12.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 ¥210

$30.08 ¥205

2.09%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ¥525

$70.7 ¥483

8.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 ¥537

$75.3 ¥514

4.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,973

$279 ¥1,905

161.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ¥2,747

$186 ¥1,273

115.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 ¥11.4K

$586 ¥4,002

185.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,329

$359 ¥2,453

158.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.3K ¥90.7K

$2,990 ¥20.4K

343.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,100 ¥41.7K

$1,743 ¥11.9K

249.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,640 ¥11.2K

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Jingmen: April 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Shenzhen versus $279 in Jingmen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28 in Shenzhen versus $23 in Jingmen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $199 – making Jingmen 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 Jingmen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,016 in Shenzhen, $714 in Jingmen – roughly 42% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,524 per month in Shenzhen and $1,071 in Jingmen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $454 per month in Shenzhen and $336 in Jingmen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% more in Shenzhen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Jingmen, where all-in costs run around $714, than in Shenzhen at $1,016. In Jingmen it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jingmen – 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 Jingmen. 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.