Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Yangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Yangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $681 in Yangzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $1,091 in Yangzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,501 in Yangzhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 67% more expensive than in Yangzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Yangzhou 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.92

$2.18 ¥14.63

84.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$11.31 ¥75.8

164.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.38

$2.95 ¥19.77

78.98%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.49

$2.43 ¥16.29

38.27%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.43 ¥2.91

25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.23 ¥1.54

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$1.03 ¥6.88

41.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.09

$2.04 ¥13.69

10.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.22 ¥8.20

33.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$2.06 ¥13.79

-13.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.88

$0.76 ¥5.07

55.26%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$0.96 ¥6.43

76.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$13.85 ¥92.8

59.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.23

$2.75 ¥18.46

31.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥94.9

$6.71 ¥44.99

111.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.65

$0.73 ¥4.92

200.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$1.74 ¥11.69

-10.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$0.46 ¥3.09

310.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.89

$1.06 ¥7.08

39.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.94

$0.74 ¥4.98

59.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.28

$0.66 ¥4.44

131.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.85 ¥5.67

-36.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.65 ¥4.36

-10.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.40

$3.06 ¥20.49

48.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.8

$12.10 ¥81.1

4.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$0.86 ¥5.74

5.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$1.94 ¥13.02

-4.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.34 ¥2.30

79.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

$19.77 ¥132

12.09%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.18 ¥7.90

24.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.26 ¥1.73

53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.62

$3.54 ¥23.69

104.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.22 ¥8.15

2.46%

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

$19.1K ¥127.8K

$19.3K ¥129.5K

-1.34%

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

$18.1K ¥121.5K

$16.8K ¥112.7K

7.80%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$47.76 ¥320

28.89%

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

$9.91 ¥66.4

$8.04 ¥53.9

23.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$11.73 ¥78.6

28.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$42.34 ¥284

16.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.27

$6.30 ¥42.21

16.67%

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

$525 ¥3,516

$239 ¥1,601

119.58%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.1K

$7,549 ¥50.6K

218.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$91.3 ¥612

-45.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$32.30 ¥216

24.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$63.7 ¥427

8.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$88.4 ¥593

-2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,144

$249 ¥1,671

207.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

$164 ¥1,101

183.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$591 ¥3,962

207.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,732

$393 ¥2,632

117.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.0K

$2,507 ¥16.8K

435.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.1K

$1,807 ¥12.1K

247.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$1,251 ¥8,385

34.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.1

9.68%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Yangzhou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $249 in Yangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 35% 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 $11.00 in Yangzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $184 per month, with Yangzhou 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 Yangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yangzhou wins on cost – living expenses run 67% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yangzhou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 35% 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 $249 in Yangzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yangzhou runs roughly 12% 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 $239 in Yangzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $681 in Yangzhou versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yangzhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Yangzhou 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 Yangzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.