Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhangjiagang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhangjiagang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $727 in Zhangjiagang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $1,165 in Zhangjiagang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,603 in Zhangjiagang.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 57% more expensive than in Zhangjiagang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Zhangjiagang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.95

$3.81 ¥25.53

5.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$22.08 ¥148

35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.42

$4.94 ¥33.11

6.88%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.52

$3.15 ¥21.11

6.67%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.52 ¥3.50

3.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.27 ¥1.81

33.33%

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

$2.29 ¥15.34

-1.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.93

$2.18 ¥14.64

-25.23%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.02

$2.08 ¥13.97

-13.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$0.85 ¥5.69

38.82%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$1.29 ¥8.66

31.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$10.64 ¥71.4

107.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.26

$3.01 ¥20.19

20.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥95.0

$8.85 ¥59.4

60.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.67

$2.11 ¥14.16

3.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.28 ¥8.56

21.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.71

$1.74 ¥11.67

8.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$1.11 ¥7.45

33.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$0.84 ¥5.66

40.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.30

$0.96 ¥6.41

59.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.94 ¥6.33

-42.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.51 ¥3.44

13.73%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.44

$3.71 ¥24.88

22.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.9

$13.22 ¥88.7

-4.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.09

$0.98 ¥6.56

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$1.56 ¥10.47

18.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.13

$0.29 ¥1.93

110.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥149

$19.28 ¥129

14.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$1.75 ¥11.75

-16.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.42 ¥2.81

-4.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.68

$8.71 ¥58.4

-16.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.37

$1.33 ¥8.91

-6.02%

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

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$19.5K ¥130.7K

-2.13%

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

$18.1K ¥121.7K

$16.7K ¥112.3K

8.39%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$55.4 ¥372

11.12%

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

$9.91 ¥66.5

$7.44 ¥49.93

33.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$7.20 ¥48.32

109.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$39.27 ¥264

26.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$14.86 ¥99.7

14.33%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.34

$6.07 ¥40.74

21.09%

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

$525 ¥3,520

$412 ¥2,765

27.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.3K

$22.6K ¥151.9K

6.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$42.87 ¥288

16.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$34.26 ¥230

17.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$64.7 ¥434

6.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$87.4 ¥586

-1.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,150

$280 ¥1,882

173.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

$208 ¥1,393

124.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$574 ¥3,851

216.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,739

$364 ¥2,440

135.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.1K

$3,172 ¥21.3K

323.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.2K

$2,154 ¥14.5K

191.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.42

-0.58%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiagang: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $280 in Zhangjiagang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $22.00 in Zhangjiagang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $204 per month, with Zhangjiagang 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 Zhangjiagang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhangjiagang wins on cost – living expenses run 57% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhangjiagang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,709 in Shenzhen and $1,091 in Zhangjiagang 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 $280 in Zhangjiagang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zhangjiagang 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 $412 in Zhangjiagang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $727 in Zhangjiagang versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Zhangjiagang but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Zhangjiagang 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 Zhangjiagang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 57% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.