Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhangjiakou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhangjiakou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,016 in Shenzhen versus $737 in Zhangjiakou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,642 in Shenzhen versus $1,167 in Zhangjiakou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,268 in Shenzhen versus $1,596 in Zhangjiakou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 38% more expensive than Zhangjiakou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 25% lower, Zhangjiakou 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ¥21.34

$2.08 ¥14.19

50.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.87 ¥190

$27.53 ¥188

1.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥35.17

$5.58 ¥38.12

-7.71%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.67

$3.23 ¥22.06

-1.86%

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

$0.52 ¥3.58

$0.44 ¥2.99

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.29 ¥2.01

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ¥8.70

$0.86 ¥5.85

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.26

$2.00 ¥13.64

41.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.47

$1.68 ¥11.50

8.93%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 ¥13.26

$1.87 ¥12.77

3.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥8.03

$1.00 ¥6.82

18.00%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.76

$0.91 ¥6.24

105.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 ¥87.5

$13.86 ¥94.6

-7.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ¥26.35

$2.86 ¥19.53

34.97%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ¥92.2

$9.22 ¥63.0

46.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.49

$1.27 ¥8.67

44.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.68

$0.85 ¥5.82

67.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.82

$1.37 ¥9.38

26.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.50

$1.10 ¥7.50

26.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.25

$0.79 ¥5.37

34.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.70

$0.59 ¥4.00

140.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ¥4.71

$0.58 ¥3.98

18.97%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.12

$0.80 ¥5.48

-25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥23.07

$3.57 ¥24.36

-5.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 ¥99.1

$13.34 ¥91.1

8.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.32

$1.15 ¥7.88

-19.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.67

$2.37 ¥16.18

-21.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.27 ¥1.84

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ¥153

$16.62 ¥114

34.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$0.93 ¥6.33

76.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.31 ¥2.08

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.79

$6.11 ¥41.75

12.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$1.09 ¥7.47

3.67%

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

$22.7K ¥155.3K

$16.5K ¥112.4K

38.19%

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

$20.7K ¥141.2K

$19.2K ¥131.4K

7.42%

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

$67.5 ¥461

$86.2 ¥589

-21.79%

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

$8.23 ¥56.2

$6.77 ¥46.27

21.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.77 ¥87.3

$7.12 ¥48.63

79.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.87 ¥341

$41.62 ¥284

19.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ¥118

$13.66 ¥93.3

26.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 ¥48.69

$6.36 ¥43.46

12.11%

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

$454 ¥3,099

$313 ¥2,140

44.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K ¥138.5K

$4,938 ¥33.7K

310.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.09 ¥328

$39.58 ¥270

21.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 ¥210

$29.43 ¥201

4.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ¥525

$77.3 ¥528

-0.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 ¥537

$55.2 ¥377

42.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,973

$276 ¥1,882

164.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ¥2,747

$190 ¥1,300

111.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 ¥11.4K

$601 ¥4,103

178.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,329

$357 ¥2,439

159.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.3K ¥90.7K

$2,997 ¥20.5K

342.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,100 ¥41.7K

$1,996 ¥13.6K

205.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,640 ¥11.2K

$375 ¥2,564

337.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.35

-7.13%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiakou: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Shenzhen and $276 in Zhangjiakou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 337% 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 in Shenzhen vs $28 in Zhangjiakou. Groceries flip the comparison at $233 vs $202, with Zhangjiakou cheaper for home cooking.

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 Zhangjiakou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhangjiakou wins on cost – living expenses run 38% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhangjiakou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Shenzhen pays 337% 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: $728 in Shenzhen versus $276 in Zhangjiakou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zhangjiakou runs roughly 35% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $454 in Shenzhen versus $313 in Zhangjiakou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $737 in Zhangjiakou versus $1,016 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Zhangjiakou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Zhangjiakou 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 Zhangjiakou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.