Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Kaifeng Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Kaifeng

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,006 in Shenzhen versus $707 in Kaifeng.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Shenzhen versus $1,091 in Kaifeng.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,311 in Shenzhen versus $1,476 in Kaifeng.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 42% more expensive than Kaifeng, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 25% lower, Kaifeng 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.28 ¥22.48

$2.85 ¥19.52

15.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.26 ¥194

$13.97 ¥95.7

102.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ¥35.19

$4.20 ¥28.76

22.38%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥22.06

$2.10 ¥14.36

53.33%

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

$0.52 ¥3.53

$0.47 ¥3.20

10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.20 ¥1.37

40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ¥8.74

$1.10 ¥7.56

16.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ¥19.21

$2.06 ¥14.09

35.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.98

$1.84 ¥12.62

-4.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.38

$1.62 ¥11.07

20.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.50

$0.90 ¥6.20

37.78%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.78

$1.64 ¥11.26

14.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ¥88.2

$12.86 ¥88.1

0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ¥27.20

$3.18 ¥21.76

24.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ¥94.2

$10.23 ¥70.0

34.41%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.74

$1.81 ¥12.39

2.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥10.03

$1.21 ¥8.29

20.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.97

$0.65 ¥4.44

169.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.61

$1.12 ¥7.69

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.28

$0.69 ¥4.71

53.62%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.63

$0.97 ¥6.64

45.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.17

$0.59 ¥4.06

27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.87

$0.55 ¥3.75

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.54

$3.06 ¥20.98

12.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 ¥97.6

$14.42 ¥98.7

-1.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.38

$0.80 ¥5.46

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥13.24

$1.57 ¥10.77

22.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.99

$0.27 ¥1.84

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.51 ¥154

$16.39 ¥112

37.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.13

$1.41 ¥9.65

15.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.33 ¥2.25

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 ¥46.63

$6.62 ¥45.31

2.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.96

$1.14 ¥7.78

1.75%

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

$23.4K ¥160.5K

$19.4K ¥133.1K

20.51%

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

$20.1K ¥137.5K

$16.5K ¥113.2K

21.50%

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

$67.6 ¥463

$46.78 ¥320

44.40%

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

$8.39 ¥57.4

$9.53 ¥65.3

-11.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.11 ¥89.8

$11.64 ¥79.8

12.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.79 ¥341

$41.23 ¥282

20.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.43 ¥119

$14.00 ¥95.9

24.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 ¥48.56

$6.35 ¥43.53

11.65%

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

$464 ¥3,179

$335 ¥2,296

38.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥142.3K

$17.3K ¥118.3K

20.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.32 ¥338

$43.58 ¥299

13.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.89 ¥205

$30.93 ¥212

-3.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 ¥511

$72.8 ¥499

2.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ¥546

$73.2 ¥502

8.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ¥4,974

$273 ¥1,872

165.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,806

$188 ¥1,288

117.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 ¥11.5K

$595 ¥4,073

181.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,185

$367 ¥2,513

146.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.5K

$3,144 ¥21.5K

315.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 ¥41.5K

$1,984 ¥13.6K

205.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,687 ¥11.6K

$635 ¥4,348

165.78%

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 25, 2026

Last update for Kaifeng: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $726 in Shenzhen and $273 in Kaifeng. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 166% 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: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $14.00 in Kaifeng for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $203 per month, with Kaifeng 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 Kaifeng: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaifeng wins on cost – living expenses run 42% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kaifeng the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Shenzhen pays 166% more on average, 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: $726 in Shenzhen versus $273 in Kaifeng. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kaifeng – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,006 per month in Shenzhen versus $707 in Kaifeng – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $707 in Kaifeng versus $1,006 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kaifeng but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Kaifeng 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 Kaifeng gentler on the wallet – expenses run 42% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.