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: $1,121 in Shenzhen versus $720 in Jinzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,720 in Shenzhen versus $1,152 in Jinzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,319 in Shenzhen versus $1,585 in Jinzhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 56% more expensive than in Jinzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Jinzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.74 ¥25.10

$3.05 ¥20.45

22.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.89 ¥200

$22.27 ¥149

34.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥34.88

$5.29 ¥35.48

-1.70%

Cappuccino

$3.37 ¥22.57

$2.72 ¥18.24

23.90%

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

$0.58 ¥3.88

$0.46 ¥3.07

26.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.20

$0.31 ¥2.08

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.48 ¥9.92

$1.06 ¥7.10

39.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.23

$2.12 ¥14.23

7.08%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.60 ¥10.74

$1.86 ¥12.46

-13.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 ¥12.27

$1.73 ¥11.58

5.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$0.93 ¥6.25

26.88%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.64

$1.63 ¥10.94

6.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.69 ¥145

$13.18 ¥88.3

64.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ¥24.72

$3.59 ¥24.05

2.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.38 ¥96.4

$12.81 ¥85.9

12.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥14.99

$1.81 ¥12.13

23.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.22

$1.30 ¥8.71

16.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.63

$1.55 ¥10.42

21.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.46

$1.30 ¥8.71

8.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.98

$0.74 ¥4.99

40.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.74

$0.89 ¥5.98

46.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.61

$0.68 ¥4.54

-20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.55 ¥3.68

-1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.47

$3.35 ¥22.43

35.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.82 ¥79.2

$9.51 ¥63.8

24.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥6.00

$0.81 ¥5.40

9.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$1.66 ¥11.10

7.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.31 ¥2.10

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.11 ¥148

$20.04 ¥134

10.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.55 ¥10.39

-5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.57

$0.32 ¥2.17

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 ¥49.90

$6.14 ¥41.18

21.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.42

$1.21 ¥8.10

4.13%

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

$19.6K ¥131.7K

$18.8K ¥126.3K

4.23%

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

$18.4K ¥123.1K

$17.0K ¥114.1K

7.93%

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

$62.6 ¥420

$52.0 ¥348

20.37%

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

$9.78 ¥65.5

$9.21 ¥61.7

6.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.78 ¥99.1

$11.61 ¥77.8

27.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.87 ¥328

$39.31 ¥264

24.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 ¥116

$15.87 ¥106

8.82%

Cinema Ticket

$7.41 ¥49.68

$6.50 ¥43.55

14.00%

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

$520 ¥3,487

$423 ¥2,833

23.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K ¥160.4K

$18.1K ¥121.5K

31.99%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.42 ¥331

$41.83 ¥280

18.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.12 ¥269

$31.35 ¥210

27.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥461

$76.2 ¥511

-9.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.3 ¥578

$76.5 ¥513

12.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$774 ¥5,190

$302 ¥2,027

156.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 ¥3,181

$173 ¥1,161

173.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,832 ¥12.3K

$691 ¥4,630

165.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$841 ¥5,638

$360 ¥2,415

133.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥91.3K

$3,332 ¥22.3K

308.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,435 ¥43.1K

$1,703 ¥11.4K

277.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,681 ¥11.3K

$440 ¥2,947

282.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.38

0.59%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: September 29, 2026

Last update for Jinzhou: September 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $774 in Shenzhen and $302 in Jinzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 282% 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 $254 vs $211 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 56% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 282% 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: $774 in Shenzhen versus $302 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 $1,121 per month in Shenzhen versus $720 in Jinzhou – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $720 in Jinzhou versus $1,121 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 56% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.