Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,006 in Shenzhen versus $652 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,658 in Shenzhen versus $1,051 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,311 in Shenzhen versus $1,450 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 54% more expensive than Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 25% lower, Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.28 ¥22.48

$2.84 ¥19.48

15.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.26 ¥194

$22.70 ¥155

24.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ¥35.19

$4.81 ¥32.98

6.86%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥22.06

$2.89 ¥19.81

11.42%

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

$0.52 ¥3.53

$0.42 ¥2.87

23.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.24 ¥1.63

16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ¥8.74

$0.80 ¥5.49

60.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ¥19.21

$1.41 ¥9.67

98.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.98

$2.30 ¥15.72

-23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.38

$1.14 ¥7.78

71.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.50

$0.83 ¥5.66

49.40%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.78

$1.47 ¥10.09

27.21%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ¥88.2

$9.06 ¥62.1

42.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ¥27.20

$2.72 ¥18.66

45.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ¥94.2

$5.54 ¥37.92

148.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.74

$2.15 ¥14.75

-13.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥10.03

$1.43 ¥9.82

2.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.97

$1.64 ¥11.26

6.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.61

$1.16 ¥7.96

20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.28

$0.92 ¥6.32

15.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.63

$0.87 ¥5.99

62.07%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.17

$0.82 ¥5.61

-8.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.87

$0.61 ¥4.16

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.54

$3.27 ¥22.41

5.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 ¥97.6

$7.90 ¥54.1

80.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.38

$0.88 ¥6.01

5.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥13.24

$1.40 ¥9.60

37.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.99

$0.29 ¥2.01

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.51 ¥154

$16.46 ¥113

36.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.13

$1.56 ¥10.70

4.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.38 ¥2.64

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 ¥46.63

$8.49 ¥58.2

-19.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.96

$1.14 ¥7.80

1.75%

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

$23.4K ¥160.5K

$16.7K ¥114.7K

39.90%

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

$20.1K ¥137.5K

$14.3K ¥98.1K

40.07%

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

$67.6 ¥463

$17.64 ¥121

282.94%

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

$8.39 ¥57.4

$11.08 ¥75.9

-24.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.11 ¥89.8

$10.94 ¥74.9

19.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.79 ¥341

$56.1 ¥385

-11.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.43 ¥119

$14.05 ¥96.2

24.06%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 ¥48.56

$5.41 ¥37.06

31.05%

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

$464 ¥3,179

$275 ¥1,881

68.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥142.3K

$16.5K ¥113.1K

25.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.32 ¥338

$41.05 ¥281

20.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.89 ¥205

$33.43 ¥229

-10.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 ¥511

$56.8 ¥389

31.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ¥546

$56.7 ¥388

40.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ¥4,974

$281 ¥1,923

158.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,806

$191 ¥1,309

114.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 ¥11.5K

$592 ¥4,058

182.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,185

$356 ¥2,439

153.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.5K

$2,884 ¥19.8K

352.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 ¥41.5K

$1,980 ¥13.6K

206.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,687 ¥11.6K

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $726 in Shenzhen and $281 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $23.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $171 per month, with Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu wins on cost – living expenses run 54% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,508 in Shenzhen and $978 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $726 in Shenzhen versus $281 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu runs roughly 37% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $464 in Shenzhen versus $275 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $652 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu versus $1,006 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.