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: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $756 in Zhangjiagang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,236 in Zhangjiagang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,716 in Zhangjiagang.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 37% more expensive than in Zhangjiagang, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Zhangjiagang 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$3.44 ¥23.25

-9.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$25.97 ¥176

6.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$4.72 ¥31.93

3.18%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$3.42 ¥23.10

-2.92%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.48 ¥3.23

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.80

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$1.10 ¥7.43

10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$1.63 ¥11.04

69.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$2.00 ¥13.49

-12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.89 ¥12.77

4.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.93 ¥6.29

26.88%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.81 ¥12.25

6.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$17.39 ¥118

-27.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$2.64 ¥17.83

48.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$9.81 ¥66.3

36.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$2.02 ¥13.66

-7.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.80 ¥12.15

-18.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$1.60 ¥10.82

13.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$1.26 ¥8.51

10.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.79 ¥5.32

37.97%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$0.98 ¥6.59

44.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.66 ¥4.46

13.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.53 ¥3.56

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$4.13 ¥27.89

-17.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$13.29 ¥89.8

-5.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.71 ¥4.79

30.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.70 ¥11.47

11.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.29 ¥1.99

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$16.93 ¥114

31.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.79 ¥12.11

-5.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

$0.28 ¥1.91

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$6.21 ¥41.95

8.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.17 ¥7.92

-2.56%

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

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$19.5K ¥131.6K

16.62%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

23.64%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$43.95 ¥297

48.67%

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

$8.39 ¥56.7

$11.37 ¥76.8

-26.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$11.76 ¥79.5

11.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$42.03 ¥284

21.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$14.18 ¥95.8

24.12%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$6.21 ¥41.99

14.01%

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

$467 ¥3,154

$446 ¥3,012

4.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$16.8K ¥113.5K

23.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$56.6 ¥382

-14.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$35.28 ¥238

-14.20%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$72.3 ¥489

3.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$91.2 ¥616

-13.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$282 ¥1,907

159.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$187 ¥1,261

119.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$589 ¥3,980

188.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$361 ¥2,442

151.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$3,334 ¥22.5K

287.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$1,681 ¥11.4K

257.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.83

5.48%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiagang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $282 in Zhangjiagang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $26.00 in Zhangjiagang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $225 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 37% 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 $1,549 in Shenzhen and $1,134 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: $732 in Shenzhen versus $282 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 31% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $467 in Shenzhen versus $446 in Zhangjiagang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $756 in Zhangjiagang versus $1,032 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 37% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.