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: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $608 in Nantong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,012 in Nantong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,416 in Nantong.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 70% more expensive than in Nantong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Nantong 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$2.71 ¥18.34

15.50%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$22.07 ¥149

25.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$4.40 ¥29.73

10.68%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$2.65 ¥17.88

25.28%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.44 ¥3.01

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.26 ¥1.76

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$0.72 ¥4.89

68.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$2.07 ¥13.97

33.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$1.51 ¥10.22

15.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.42 ¥9.59

38.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.64 ¥4.34

84.37%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.49 ¥10.04

28.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$6.23 ¥42.07

103.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$2.70 ¥18.24

45.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$9.17 ¥62.0

45.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$2.15 ¥14.53

-13.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.44 ¥9.72

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$1.63 ¥11.00

11.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$1.15 ¥7.77

20.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.58 ¥3.95

87.93%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$0.92 ¥6.20

54.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.73 ¥4.96

2.74%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.47 ¥3.19

21.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$3.20 ¥21.59

5.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$9.09 ¥61.4

38.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.94 ¥6.38

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.54 ¥10.41

23.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.20 ¥1.35

120.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$21.24 ¥144

4.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.49 ¥10.08

13.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

$0.26 ¥1.74

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$8.60 ¥58.1

-21.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.14 ¥7.73

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

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$17.3K ¥116.8K

31.31%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$14.7K ¥99.2K

40.87%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$39.71 ¥268

64.54%

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

$8.39 ¥56.7

$8.19 ¥55.3

2.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$11.16 ¥75.4

17.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$41.54 ¥281

22.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$11.17 ¥75.5

57.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$5.59 ¥37.79

26.65%

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

$467 ¥3,154

$187 ¥1,264

149.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$11.2K ¥75.6K

84.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$43.55 ¥294

11.44%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$33.41 ¥226

-9.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$60.6 ¥409

23.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$83.7 ¥566

-5.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$208 ¥1,404

252.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$137 ¥926

199.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$753 ¥5,087

125.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$326 ¥2,200

179.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$3,680 ¥24.9K

250.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$2,410 ¥16.3K

148.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$1,322 ¥8,936

30.05%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Nantong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $208 in Nantong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 30% 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 $229 vs $167 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 70% in total monthly costs ($1,032 vs $608 including rent). Nantong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 30% 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: $732 in Shenzhen versus $208 in Nantong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $467 in Shenzhen versus $187 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 $608 in Nantong versus $1,032 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 70% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.