Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Xiamen Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Xiamen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Shenzhen versus $788 in Xiamen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,653 in Shenzhen versus $1,251 in Xiamen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,289 in Shenzhen versus $1,713 in Xiamen.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 29% more expensive than in Xiamen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 24% lower, Xiamen 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 ¥21.86

$2.72 ¥18.37

19.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 ¥187

$22.61 ¥153

22.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥34.75

$5.70 ¥38.53

-9.65%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.70

$2.72 ¥18.41

18.01%

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

$0.49 ¥3.28

$0.48 ¥3.21

2.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.29 ¥1.95

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ¥8.67

$1.43 ¥9.66

-10.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$3.50 ¥23.64

-19.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.12

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ¥13.54

$2.18 ¥14.72

-7.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$0.76 ¥5.12

55.26%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.95

$1.34 ¥9.05

43.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 ¥85.1

$10.92 ¥73.8

15.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ¥25.94

$2.26 ¥15.27

69.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.0

$11.01 ¥74.3

22.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$2.43 ¥16.42

-26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.32 ¥8.95

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.80

$1.51 ¥10.21

15.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.47

$1.83 ¥12.39

-23.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.14

$0.91 ¥6.18

16.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.60

$1.65 ¥11.17

-13.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.81 ¥5.44

-8.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.50 ¥3.40

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ¥24.12

$2.80 ¥18.93

27.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ¥82.6

$11.14 ¥75.3

9.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.85

$0.74 ¥5.01

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.82

$1.65 ¥11.16

15.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.71

$0.22 ¥1.49

81.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.39 ¥151

$10.98 ¥74.2

103.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.36 ¥9.16

20.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.26 ¥1.75

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 ¥47.13

$6.64 ¥44.87

5.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.93

$1.18 ¥8.00

-0.85%

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

$23.0K ¥155.6K

$16.7K ¥112.9K

37.82%

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

$20.6K ¥139.3K

$17.5K ¥118.3K

17.71%

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

$65.5 ¥442

$39.52 ¥267

65.66%

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

$8.42 ¥56.9

$9.86 ¥66.6

-14.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.94 ¥87.4

$9.97 ¥67.3

29.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ¥338

$44.15 ¥298

13.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 ¥120

$9.70 ¥65.5

82.78%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ¥46.27

$9.55 ¥64.5

-28.27%

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

$452 ¥3,055

$465 ¥3,140

-2.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.2K

$21.9K ¥148.2K

-6.10%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ¥333

$43.26 ¥292

14.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 ¥207

$26.48 ¥179

16.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥519

$86.2 ¥582

-10.87%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ¥537

$80.0 ¥540

-0.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,919

$325 ¥2,195

124.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥2,793

$248 ¥1,672

67.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 ¥11.2K

$863 ¥5,827

92.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$900 ¥6,079

$506 ¥3,419

77.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥83.3K

$8,515 ¥57.5K

44.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,024 ¥40.7K

$4,685 ¥31.6K

28.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 ¥11.8K

$1,121 ¥7,569

55.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.56

13.48%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 26, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Shenzhen and $325 in Xiamen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 55% 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 $23.00 in Xiamen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $205 per month, with Xiamen 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 Xiamen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Xiamen wins on cost – living expenses run 29% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Xiamen the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 55% 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: $728 in Shenzhen versus $325 in Xiamen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Xiamen runs roughly 104% 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 $465 in Xiamen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $788 in Xiamen versus $1,017 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Xiamen but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Xiamen 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 Xiamen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.