Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Ningbo Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Ningbo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $840 in Ningbo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,322 in Ningbo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,804 in Ningbo.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 23% more expensive than in Ningbo, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Ningbo 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$3.12 ¥21.08

0.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$24.61 ¥166

12.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$4.12 ¥27.83

18.20%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$3.06 ¥20.68

8.50%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.41 ¥2.80

17.07%

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

$0.94 ¥6.33

28.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$2.05 ¥13.88

35.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$2.07 ¥14.01

-15.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$2.71 ¥18.35

-27.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.80 ¥5.40

47.50%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.36 ¥9.16

41.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$20.53 ¥139

-38.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$4.87 ¥32.89

-19.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$12.06 ¥81.5

10.95%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$1.91 ¥12.90

-2.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.41 ¥9.52

3.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$2.23 ¥15.07

-18.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$1.15 ¥7.76

20.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.67 ¥4.52

62.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$0.79 ¥5.31

79.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.59 ¥4.00

27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.61 ¥4.09

-6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$5.38 ¥36.32

-36.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$8.35 ¥56.4

51.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$1.14 ¥7.73

-18.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$2.04 ¥13.78

-6.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.29 ¥1.99

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$16.81 ¥114

32.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.65 ¥11.18

2.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

$0.33 ¥2.21

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$6.98 ¥47.15

-3.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.18 ¥8.00

-3.39%

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

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$21.3K ¥144.0K

6.53%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$19.7K ¥132.8K

5.20%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$64.3 ¥435

1.59%

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

$8.39 ¥56.7

$15.88 ¥107

-47.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$6.77 ¥45.78

93.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$21.69 ¥147

134.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$12.89 ¥87.1

36.54%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$8.44 ¥57.1

-16.11%

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

$467 ¥3,154

$597 ¥4,034

-21.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$15.1K ¥101.7K

37.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$42.71 ¥289

13.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$29.77 ¥201

1.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$69.0 ¥466

8.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$62.8 ¥425

26.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$384 ¥2,593

90.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$256 ¥1,731

60.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$860 ¥5,811

97.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$489 ¥3,306

85.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$4,649 ¥31.4K

177.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$2,583 ¥17.5K

132.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$1,192 ¥8,055

44.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.85

-16.70%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Ningbo: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $384 in Ningbo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 44% 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 $25.00 in Ningbo. Groceries flip the comparison at $229 vs $251, with Shenzhen cheaper for home cooking.

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 Ningbo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Ningbo wins on cost – living expenses run 23% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Ningbo the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 44% 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 $384 in Ningbo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $467 in Shenzhen versus $597 in Ningbo. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Shoppers in Shenzhen pay roughly 9% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $840 in Ningbo versus $1,032 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Ningbo but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Ningbo 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 Ningbo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 23% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.