Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nantong Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nantong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $624 in Nantong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,028 in Nantong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,432 in Nantong.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 66% more expensive than Nantong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Nantong 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.18

$2.72 ¥18.41

15.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$22.19 ¥150

23.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.26

$4.56 ¥30.84

10.96%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.52

$2.54 ¥17.17

31.10%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.41 ¥2.79

17.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.26 ¥1.77

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$0.68 ¥4.57

79.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.14

$2.03 ¥13.76

39.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$1.53 ¥10.39

13.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$1.42 ¥9.60

38.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.60 ¥4.09

105.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.47 ¥9.92

31.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$6.53 ¥44.22

95.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.43

$2.81 ¥19.00

44.13%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$9.06 ¥61.3

48.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$2.16 ¥14.64

-12.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.39 ¥9.38

1.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.58 ¥10.71

15.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.20 ¥8.13

11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.62 ¥4.23

69.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.90 ¥6.07

62.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.73 ¥4.95

-2.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.51 ¥3.48

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.88

$3.07 ¥20.80

10.10%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$8.73 ¥59.1

48.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.88 ¥5.97

6.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.51 ¥10.23

23.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.22 ¥1.49

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$20.77 ¥141

4.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.49 ¥10.10

9.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.28 ¥1.91

25.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.49

$8.56 ¥58.0

-17.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.14 ¥7.74

3.51%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$16.9K ¥114.6K

35.17%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$14.7K ¥99.5K

41.00%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$39.15 ¥265

66.87%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$8.14 ¥55.1

0.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.20 ¥75.8

16.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$41.80 ¥283

20.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$11.10 ¥75.1

56.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.46

$5.42 ¥36.69

26.57%

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

$457 ¥3,092

$185 ¥1,251

147.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$11.2K ¥76.1K

85.36%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$41.98 ¥284

17.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$33.36 ¥226

-8.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$60.8 ¥411

22.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$82.7 ¥560

-3.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,987

$209 ¥1,412

253.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,783

$137 ¥926

200.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$729 ¥4,934

132.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,112

$322 ¥2,178

180.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$3,723 ¥25.2K

253.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$2,384 ¥16.1K

160.94%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$1,297 ¥8,779

28.40%

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 Nantong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $209 in Nantong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 28% 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 Nantong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $168 per month, with Nantong 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 Nantong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Nantong differ by about 66% in total monthly costs ($1,037 vs $624 including rent). Nantong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shenzhen pays 28% 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 $209 in Nantong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Shenzhen versus $185 in Nantong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $624 in Nantong versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nantong but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Nantong 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 Nantong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 66% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.