Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Yancheng Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Yancheng

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $695 in Yancheng.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $1,134 in Yancheng.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,573 in Yancheng.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 64% more expensive than in Yancheng, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Yancheng 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.95

$1.97 ¥13.19

104.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$23.63 ¥159

26.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.42

$2.99 ¥20.04

76.59%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.52

$3.15 ¥21.16

6.67%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.38 ¥2.56

42.11%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.21 ¥1.40

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$1.53 ¥10.28

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.11

$2.95 ¥19.77

-23.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.93

$1.79 ¥12.04

-8.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.02

$2.09 ¥14.02

-14.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$1.08 ¥7.26

9.26%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$1.88 ¥12.64

-10.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$13.41 ¥90.0

64.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.26

$3.46 ¥23.19

4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥95.0

$11.06 ¥74.2

28.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.67

$2.60 ¥17.46

-15.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.29 ¥8.68

20.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.71

$1.59 ¥10.70

18.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$1.17 ¥7.82

26.50%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$0.62 ¥4.15

90.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.30

$0.79 ¥5.31

93.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.63 ¥4.21

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.59 ¥3.93

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.44

$5.34 ¥35.83

-14.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.9

$11.66 ¥78.2

8.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.09

$0.86 ¥5.79

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$2.24 ¥15.04

-17.41%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.13

$0.34 ¥2.28

79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥149

$19.26 ¥129

15.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$1.53 ¥10.27

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.40 ¥2.68

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.68

$8.98 ¥60.3

-19.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.37

$1.25 ¥8.40

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

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$19.1K ¥128.2K

-0.17%

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

$18.1K ¥121.7K

$19.0K ¥127.7K

-4.73%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$36.06 ¥242

70.72%

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

$9.91 ¥66.5

$11.65 ¥78.2

-14.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$11.14 ¥74.7

35.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$38.61 ¥259

28.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$14.06 ¥94.4

20.84%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.34

$5.89 ¥39.55

24.79%

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

$525 ¥3,520

$434 ¥2,910

20.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.3K

$16.3K ¥109.3K

47.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$35.58 ¥239

40.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$21.74 ¥146

85.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$64.7 ¥434

7.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$44.10 ¥296

95.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,150

$289 ¥1,937

165.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

$189 ¥1,268

146.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$663 ¥4,450

174.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,739

$347 ¥2,331

146.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.1K

$3,179 ¥21.3K

322.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.2K

$1,944 ¥13.0K

223.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.13

8.63%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Yancheng: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $289 in Yancheng. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $24.00 in Yancheng for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $219 per month, with Yancheng 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 Yancheng: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yancheng wins on cost – living expenses run 64% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yancheng the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,709 in Shenzhen and $1,042 in Yancheng 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: $768 in Shenzhen versus $289 in Yancheng. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yancheng runs roughly 15% 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 $434 in Yancheng. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $695 in Yancheng versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Yancheng but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Yancheng 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 Yancheng gentler on the wallet – expenses run 64% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.