Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nanjing Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nanjing

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $830 in Nanjing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,302 in Nanjing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,773 in Nanjing.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 25% more expensive than Nanjing, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Nanjing 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.18

$2.72 ¥18.42

15.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$22.36 ¥151

23.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.26

$4.80 ¥32.48

5.42%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.52

$3.12 ¥21.15

6.73%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.45 ¥3.03

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.24 ¥1.62

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$0.82 ¥5.58

48.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.14

$2.06 ¥13.93

37.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$2.33 ¥15.76

-25.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$2.16 ¥14.65

-8.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.77 ¥5.22

59.74%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.49 ¥10.12

30.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$9.23 ¥62.5

38.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.43

$2.75 ¥18.63

47.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$8.96 ¥60.6

50.33%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$2.22 ¥15.02

-15.32%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.42 ¥9.63

-0.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.63 ¥11.04

11.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.20 ¥8.12

11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.92 ¥6.23

14.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.91 ¥6.17

60.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.83 ¥5.59

-14.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.57 ¥3.86

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.88

$3.52 ¥23.82

-3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$13.05 ¥88.3

-1.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.92 ¥6.20

2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.51 ¥10.20

23.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.82

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$27.67 ¥187

-21.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.57 ¥10.60

3.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.36 ¥2.43

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.49

$8.41 ¥56.9

-16.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.13 ¥7.61

4.42%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$17.0K ¥114.8K

34.93%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$14.7K ¥99.2K

41.43%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$42.34 ¥287

54.30%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$10.72 ¥72.6

-23.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$10.92 ¥73.9

19.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$26.44 ¥179

90.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$29.37 ¥199

-40.79%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.46

$5.41 ¥36.65

26.80%

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

$457 ¥3,092

$406 ¥2,748

12.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$18.5K ¥125.0K

12.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$42.23 ¥286

16.62%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$33.05 ¥224

-7.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$67.2 ¥455

10.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$84.6 ¥573

-5.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,987

$425 ¥2,880

73.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,783

$300 ¥2,029

37.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$911 ¥6,169

85.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,112

$541 ¥3,664

66.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$5,311 ¥35.9K

147.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$3,154 ¥21.3K

97.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$1,388 ¥9,395

19.98%

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 Nanjing: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $425 in Nanjing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 20% 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 $22.00 in Nanjing for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $203 per month, with Nanjing 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 Nanjing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanjing is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment. The 25% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shenzhen pays 20% 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $425 in Nanjing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nanjing – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,037 per month in Shenzhen versus $830 in Nanjing – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $830 in Nanjing versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nanjing but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Nanjing 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 Nanjing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 25% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.