Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Kunshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Kunshan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $724 in Kunshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,128 in Kunshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,533 in Kunshan, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 43% more than Kunshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Kunshan are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Kunshan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.19

$2.75 ¥18.60

13.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$21.86 ¥148

25.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.28

$4.95 ¥33.53

2.22%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.53

$3.10 ¥20.96

7.42%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.43 ¥2.91

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.90

$0.27 ¥1.81

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$0.92 ¥6.23

32.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.15

$2.13 ¥14.40

32.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.73

$1.86 ¥12.61

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$1.54 ¥10.41

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.95 ¥6.42

29.47%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.11

$1.59 ¥10.79

22.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.4

$12.94 ¥87.7

-1.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.45

$3.21 ¥21.73

26.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$10.05 ¥68.1

34.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.70

$1.88 ¥12.74

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.21 ¥8.22

16.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.47 ¥9.98

23.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.13 ¥7.68

18.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.75 ¥5.05

40.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.92

$0.97 ¥6.55

50.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.60 ¥4.07

18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.54 ¥3.69

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.90

$3.15 ¥21.35

7.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.5

$10.48 ¥71.0

23.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.79 ¥5.38

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.66

$1.59 ¥10.75

17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.82

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.53 ¥112

31.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.03

$1.42 ¥9.60

14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.33 ¥2.21

6.06%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.52

$6.60 ¥44.67

6.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.14 ¥7.71

3.51%

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

$22.9K ¥155.0K

$19.3K ¥130.9K

18.44%

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

$20.7K ¥140.4K

$17.3K ¥117.4K

19.58%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$45.79 ¥310

42.67%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$9.89 ¥67.0

-17.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.4

$11.60 ¥78.5

12.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$41.14 ¥279

22.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.85 ¥93.8

25.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.49

$6.02 ¥40.80

13.95%

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

$457 ¥3,094

$333 ¥2,256

37.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.2K

$16.8K ¥113.6K

24.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥334

$44.51 ¥301

10.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$30.97 ¥210

-0.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥503

$70.6 ¥478

5.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$71.1 ¥482

12.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,990

$275 ¥1,859

168.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,785

$196 ¥1,325

110.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.5K

$590 ¥3,997

186.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,116

$365 ¥2,473

147.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$3,048 ¥20.6K

331.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$2,045 ¥13.9K

204.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.89

3.86%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Kunshan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $275 in Kunshan. 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $22.00 in Kunshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $199 – making Kunshan 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 Kunshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 43%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $1,086 in Kunshan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kunshan, 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen and $22.00 in Kunshan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,037 in Shenzhen and $724 in Kunshan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kunshan, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Kunshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kunshan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kunshan. 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.