Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Weihai Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Weihai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $619 in Weihai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $955 in Weihai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,290 in Weihai.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 84% more expensive than in Weihai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Weihai 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.95

$2.54 ¥17.05

58.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$16.40 ¥110

82.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.42

$4.52 ¥30.34

16.81%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.52

$2.68 ¥17.96

25.37%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.50 ¥3.32

8.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.33 ¥2.18

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$1.09 ¥7.31

33.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.11

$2.59 ¥17.36

-13.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.93

$1.36 ¥9.14

19.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.02

$1.35 ¥9.05

32.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$1.03 ¥6.90

14.56%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$0.85 ¥5.69

98.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$10.37 ¥69.6

112.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.26

$3.62 ¥24.29

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥95.0

$9.89 ¥66.4

43.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.67

$1.06 ¥7.12

106.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$0.84 ¥5.63

84.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.71

$1.50 ¥10.07

26.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$1.25 ¥8.39

18.40%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$0.43 ¥2.88

174.42%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.30

$0.46 ¥3.11

232.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.76 ¥5.07

-28.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.60 ¥4.02

-3.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.44

$4.03 ¥27.05

12.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.9

$7.53 ¥50.5

67.99%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.09

$0.46 ¥3.11

97.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$1.61 ¥10.81

14.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.13

$0.23 ¥1.55

165.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥149

$13.55 ¥90.9

63.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$1.17 ¥7.87

25.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.27 ¥1.79

48.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.68

$7.54 ¥50.6

-3.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.37

$1.22 ¥8.17

2.46%

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

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$19.4K ¥130.2K

-1.74%

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

$18.1K ¥121.7K

$16.5K ¥110.7K

9.98%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$43.90 ¥295

40.23%

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

$9.91 ¥66.5

$6.66 ¥44.68

48.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$7.22 ¥48.45

109.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$56.0 ¥375

-11.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$8.94 ¥60.0

90.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.34

$4.75 ¥31.84

54.74%

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

$525 ¥3,520

$295 ¥1,980

77.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.3K

$18.0K ¥121.0K

33.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$52.9 ¥355

-5.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$29.56 ¥198

36.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$75.3 ¥505

-8.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$44.37 ¥298

94.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,150

$190 ¥1,278

303.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

$142 ¥951

229.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$324 ¥2,175

460.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,739

$199 ¥1,333

330.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.1K

$1,802 ¥12.1K

645.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.2K

$1,100 ¥7,380

471.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$624 ¥4,185

170.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.37

0.89%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Weihai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $190 in Weihai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 171% 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 $16.00 in Weihai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $169 per month, with Weihai 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 Weihai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Weihai wins on cost – living expenses run 84% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Weihai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 171% 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: $768 in Shenzhen versus $190 in Weihai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Weihai runs roughly 64% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $525 in Shenzhen versus $295 in Weihai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $619 in Weihai versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Weihai but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Weihai 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 Weihai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 84% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.