Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jinzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Jinzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,069 in Shenzhen versus $726 in Jinzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,673 in Shenzhen versus $1,183 in Jinzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,277 in Shenzhen versus $1,639 in Jinzhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 47% more expensive than in Jinzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 22% lower, Jinzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.72 ¥25.00

$3.06 ¥20.52

21.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.18 ¥203

$21.88 ¥147

37.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.27 ¥35.39

$5.06 ¥33.98

4.15%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥20.71

$2.84 ¥19.06

8.45%

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

$0.55 ¥3.70

$0.46 ¥3.08

19.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.06

$0.31 ¥2.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$1.05 ¥7.07

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.01 ¥13.47

$2.04 ¥13.71

-1.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.61 ¥10.82

$1.89 ¥12.67

-14.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.76 ¥11.81

$1.69 ¥11.37

4.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.16

$0.98 ¥6.58

9.18%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.61 ¥10.78

4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.33 ¥130

$11.52 ¥77.4

67.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.52 ¥23.67

$3.22 ¥21.60

9.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.88 ¥93.2

$9.60 ¥64.5

44.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 ¥15.26

$1.91 ¥12.85

18.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.30 ¥8.75

20.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.06

$1.41 ¥9.44

27.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 ¥9.62

$1.29 ¥8.66

10.85%

Potato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.75 ¥5.05

50.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.33

$0.89 ¥5.94

56.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.92

$0.68 ¥4.55

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.54 ¥3.63

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.88 ¥26.04

$3.22 ¥21.62

20.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.24 ¥82.2

$9.75 ¥65.5

25.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥6.00

$0.85 ¥5.69

4.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥12.21

$1.35 ¥9.05

34.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.29 ¥1.93

58.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.54 ¥151

$20.08 ¥135

12.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.44 ¥9.70

$1.52 ¥10.19

-5.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.36 ¥2.38

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.05 ¥47.32

$7.41 ¥49.77

-4.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.30 ¥8.76

$1.27 ¥8.50

2.36%

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

$19.4K ¥130.4K

$17.1K ¥114.9K

13.47%

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

$17.9K ¥120.0K

$19.5K ¥131.2K

-8.50%

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

$60.6 ¥407

$53.2 ¥357

13.83%

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

$9.55 ¥64.1

$7.99 ¥53.6

19.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.34 ¥76.2

$10.59 ¥71.1

7.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.77 ¥314

$43.15 ¥290

8.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.68 ¥105

$16.45 ¥110

-4.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.26 ¥48.77

$6.15 ¥41.31

18.05%

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

$467 ¥3,137

$421 ¥2,829

10.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.0K ¥148.1K

$18.9K ¥126.7K

16.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.92 ¥295

$45.77 ¥307

-4.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.18 ¥250

$30.24 ¥203

22.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.0 ¥477

$63.7 ¥428

11.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 ¥590

$74.0 ¥497

18.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$693 ¥4,653

$287 ¥1,929

141.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

$190 ¥1,274

145.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,761 ¥11.8K

$509 ¥3,419

245.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$854 ¥5,738

$353 ¥2,370

142.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K ¥87.2K

$3,363 ¥22.6K

286.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,211 ¥41.7K

$1,819 ¥12.2K

241.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,770 ¥11.9K

$436 ¥2,930

305.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 17, 2026

Last update for Jinzhou: August 16, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $693 in Shenzhen and $287 in Jinzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 306% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $22.00 in Jinzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $245 vs $195 per month, with Jinzhou cheaper across the board.

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 Jinzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jinzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 306% higher in Shenzhen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $693 in Shenzhen versus $287 in Jinzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jinzhou – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,069 per month in Shenzhen versus $726 in Jinzhou – a 47% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $726 in Jinzhou versus $1,069 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jinzhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Jinzhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Jinzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.