Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Maoming Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Maoming

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $691 in Maoming, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,085 in Maoming, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,478 in Maoming, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 50% more than Maoming, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Maoming are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Maoming 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$2.06 ¥13.93

51.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$21.17 ¥143

29.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$3.79 ¥25.64

33.51%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.51

$3.06 ¥20.73

8.82%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.42 ¥2.84

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.29 ¥1.98

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.94 ¥6.37

29.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.13

$2.15 ¥14.52

31.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$1.59 ¥10.74

8.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$1.55 ¥10.45

27.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.34

$0.97 ¥6.57

26.80%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.09

$1.57 ¥10.65

23.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$12.93 ¥87.5

-1.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.42

$3.11 ¥21.04

30.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$10.05 ¥68.0

34.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.77 ¥11.98

6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.21 ¥8.19

16.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$1.36 ¥9.23

33.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$1.09 ¥7.37

22.94%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$0.72 ¥4.85

45.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.92 ¥6.22

58.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.56 ¥3.80

26.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.55 ¥3.69

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.87

$3.17 ¥21.44

6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$11.10 ¥75.1

16.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$0.74 ¥5.03

27.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.59 ¥10.72

17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.29 ¥1.98

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.67 ¥113

30.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.41 ¥9.52

15.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.36 ¥2.41

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.47

$6.74 ¥45.62

4.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.12 ¥7.59

5.36%

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

$22.9K ¥154.8K

$19.1K ¥129.4K

19.62%

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

$20.7K ¥140.2K

$16.8K ¥113.8K

23.22%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$45.09 ¥305

44.89%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$9.85 ¥66.6

-16.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.41 ¥77.2

14.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$31.75 ¥215

58.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$14.14 ¥95.7

22.98%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.44

$6.22 ¥42.08

10.29%

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

$457 ¥3,090

$333 ¥2,251

37.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.0K

$16.8K ¥113.4K

24.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$42.74 ¥289

15.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$29.90 ¥202

2.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$72.2 ¥489

2.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$73.3 ¥496

9.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,984

$277 ¥1,871

166.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$188 ¥1,273

118.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$602 ¥4,071

181.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,109

$355 ¥2,400

154.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$2,974 ¥20.1K

341.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,963 ¥13.3K

216.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$1,012 ¥6,846

64.56%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Maoming: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $277 in Maoming. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 65% higher in Shenzhen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $21.00 in Maoming. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $195 – making Maoming 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 Maoming: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,037 in Maoming. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen and $21.00 in Maoming. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maoming, where all-in costs run around $691, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Maoming it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maoming – 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 Maoming. 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.