Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Yantai Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Yantai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $734 in Yantai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,151 in Yantai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,567 in Yantai.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 41% more expensive than Yantai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Yantai 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.18

$3.31 ¥22.42

-5.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$18.05 ¥122

52.41%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.26

$4.56 ¥30.87

10.96%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.52

$3.43 ¥23.23

-2.92%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.48 ¥3.24

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.29 ¥1.96

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$0.88 ¥5.94

38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.14

$2.14 ¥14.49

32.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$1.95 ¥13.20

-11.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$1.48 ¥10.04

33.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.63 ¥4.28

95.24%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.30 ¥8.79

49.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$14.84 ¥100

-14.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.43

$4.23 ¥28.62

-4.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$7.48 ¥50.6

80.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.37 ¥9.26

37.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$0.89 ¥6.00

58.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.22 ¥8.23

49.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.05 ¥7.12

27.62%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.73 ¥4.96

43.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$1.08 ¥7.29

35.19%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.60 ¥4.07

18.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.47 ¥3.18

21.28%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.88

$3.99 ¥27.04

-15.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$14.38 ¥97.4

-10.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$1.04 ¥7.04

-9.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.58 ¥10.67

18.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.81

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.62 ¥113

30.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.40 ¥9.50

16.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.22 ¥1.48

59.09%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.49

$5.97 ¥40.42

17.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.12 ¥7.56

5.36%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$20.1K ¥136.2K

13.72%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$13.4K ¥90.7K

54.78%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$51.7 ¥350

26.36%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$10.98 ¥74.3

-25.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$10.55 ¥71.4

23.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$27.70 ¥187

81.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$6.81 ¥46.06

155.36%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.46

$4.92 ¥33.33

39.43%

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

$457 ¥3,092

$333 ¥2,254

37.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$23.5K ¥159.1K

-11.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$77.8 ¥527

-36.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$38.62 ¥261

-20.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$80.9 ¥548

-8.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$99.6 ¥674

-19.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,987

$140 ¥949

425.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,783

$188 ¥1,272

118.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$389 ¥2,635

334.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,112

$366 ¥2,476

146.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$3,186 ¥21.6K

312.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$6,534 ¥44.2K

-4.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$1,106 ¥7,489

50.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.81

6.04%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Yantai: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $140 in Yantai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 51% 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 $18.00 in Yantai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $202 per month, with Yantai 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 Yantai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yantai wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yantai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Shenzhen pays 51% more on average, 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $140 in Yantai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Yantai runs roughly 31% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Shenzhen versus $333 in Yantai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $734 in Yantai versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yantai but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Yantai 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 Yantai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.