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: $1,017 in Shenzhen versus $671 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,653 in Shenzhen versus $1,069 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,289 in Shenzhen versus $1,467 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 52% more expensive than in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 24% lower, Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 ¥21.86

$2.78 ¥18.78

16.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 ¥187

$22.11 ¥149

25.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥34.75

$4.84 ¥32.66

6.40%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.70

$2.95 ¥19.95

8.81%

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

$0.49 ¥3.28

$0.41 ¥2.77

19.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.24 ¥1.62

25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ¥8.67

$0.85 ¥5.75

50.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$1.35 ¥9.14

108.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$2.33 ¥15.76

-23.18%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ¥13.54

$1.12 ¥7.58

79.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$0.75 ¥5.07

57.33%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.95

$1.52 ¥10.27

26.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 ¥85.1

$8.91 ¥60.2

41.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ¥25.94

$2.85 ¥19.24

34.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.0

$5.59 ¥37.76

140.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$2.23 ¥15.08

-19.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.39 ¥9.37

5.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.80

$1.61 ¥10.86

8.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.47

$1.16 ¥7.82

20.69%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.14

$0.88 ¥5.97

20.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.60

$0.81 ¥5.49

75.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.83 ¥5.58

-10.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.57 ¥3.88

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ¥24.12

$3.33 ¥22.49

7.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ¥82.6

$13.28 ¥89.7

-7.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.85

$0.81 ¥5.46

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.82

$1.43 ¥9.66

32.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.71

$0.27 ¥1.82

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.39 ¥151

$16.92 ¥114

32.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.55 ¥10.45

5.81%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.36 ¥2.42

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 ¥47.13

$8.43 ¥56.9

-17.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.93

$1.13 ¥7.63

3.54%

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

$23.0K ¥155.6K

$16.6K ¥111.9K

38.95%

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

$20.6K ¥139.3K

$14.5K ¥97.9K

42.25%

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

$65.5 ¥442

$17.46 ¥118

274.97%

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

$8.42 ¥56.9

$10.87 ¥73.4

-22.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.94 ¥87.4

$11.01 ¥74.3

17.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ¥338

$55.3 ¥374

-9.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 ¥120

$13.89 ¥93.8

27.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ¥46.27

$5.65 ¥38.13

21.24%

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

$452 ¥3,055

$278 ¥1,876

62.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.2K

$16.8K ¥113.5K

22.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ¥333

$42.24 ¥285

16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 ¥207

$32.74 ¥221

-6.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥519

$55.6 ¥376

38.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ¥537

$54.6 ¥369

45.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,919

$279 ¥1,883

161.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥2,793

$185 ¥1,246

124.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 ¥11.2K

$590 ¥3,987

181.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$900 ¥6,079

$364 ¥2,457

147.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥83.3K

$2,915 ¥19.7K

323.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,024 ¥40.7K

$1,932 ¥13.1K

211.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 ¥11.8K

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 26, 2026

Last update for Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Shenzhen and $279 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $22.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $181 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 52% 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 $1,526 in Shenzhen and $1,006 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: $728 in Shenzhen versus $279 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 32% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $452 in Shenzhen versus $278 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $671 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu versus $1,017 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 52% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.