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: $1,140 in Shenzhen versus $745 in Nantong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,759 in Shenzhen versus $1,231 in Nantong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,378 in Shenzhen versus $1,718 in Nantong.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 53% more expensive than in Nantong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Nantong 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 ¥27.11

$2.96 ¥19.85

36.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 ¥201

$23.90 ¥160

25.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.27

$4.51 ¥30.19

13.53%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.78

$2.72 ¥18.21

25.00%

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

$0.54 ¥3.61

$0.60 ¥4.00

-10.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.33 ¥2.23

6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ¥10.11

$0.78 ¥5.21

93.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥14.69

$2.19 ¥14.64

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.54

$1.60 ¥10.73

-1.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$1.57 ¥10.49

17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$0.78 ¥5.21

55.13%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$1.72 ¥11.53

-1.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.16 ¥148

$6.78 ¥45.41

226.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ¥24.69

$3.85 ¥25.78

-4.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 ¥95.4

$10.34 ¥69.3

37.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ¥15.49

$2.30 ¥15.41

0.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.71

$1.31 ¥8.75

22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.19

$1.53 ¥10.28

18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.43

$1.41 ¥9.44

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.86

$0.67 ¥4.47

74.63%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 ¥10.31

$0.98 ¥6.54

57.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.91

$0.68 ¥4.52

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.53 ¥3.55

1.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ¥29.43

$3.28 ¥21.97

33.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.7

$8.72 ¥58.4

45.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.80 ¥5.35

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥12.16

$1.72 ¥11.49

5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.18

$0.21 ¥1.41

195.24%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 ¥148

$14.79 ¥99.1

49.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.85

$1.93 ¥12.90

-23.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.51

$0.36 ¥2.39

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 ¥49.69

$7.07 ¥47.33

4.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.50

$1.16 ¥7.77

9.48%

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

$19.7K ¥131.8K

$19.1K ¥127.6K

3.24%

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

$18.2K ¥122.1K

$18.4K ¥123.5K

-1.14%

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

$61.2 ¥410

$47.91 ¥321

27.64%

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

$10.07 ¥67.5

$7.32 ¥49.04

37.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.90 ¥99.8

$14.39 ¥96.4

3.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 ¥332

$114 ¥761

-56.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 ¥115

$12.14 ¥81.3

41.68%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ¥51.4

$7.40 ¥49.55

3.65%

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

$524 ¥3,507

$200 ¥1,340

161.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥158.2K

$12.1K ¥81.3K

94.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 ¥331

$58.2 ¥390

-15.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ¥263

$42.49 ¥285

-7.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥459

$64.5 ¥432

6.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 ¥597

$107 ¥719

-16.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 ¥5,114

$214 ¥1,433

256.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥3,168

$138 ¥923

243.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 ¥12.4K

$715 ¥4,788

158.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥5,777

$348 ¥2,330

147.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥90.8K

$3,771 ¥25.3K

259.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,418 ¥43.0K

$2,261 ¥15.1K

183.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$1,328 ¥8,895

27.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

3.5

-3.71%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: September 6, 2026

Last update for Nantong: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $764 in Shenzhen and $214 in Nantong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 27% 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: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $24.00 in Nantong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $258 vs $183 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 53% in total monthly costs ($1,140 vs $745 including rent). Nantong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 27% higher in Shenzhen, 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: $764 in Shenzhen versus $214 in Nantong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $524 in Shenzhen versus $200 in Nantong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $745 in Nantong versus $1,140 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 53% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.