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: $999 in Shenzhen versus $744 in Zhangjiakou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,664 in Shenzhen versus $1,166 in Zhangjiakou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,329 in Shenzhen versus $1,589 in Zhangjiakou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 34% more expensive than in Zhangjiakou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 25% lower, Zhangjiakou 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.25 ¥21.98

$2.07 ¥13.99

57.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.48 ¥186

$27.97 ¥189

-1.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.96

$5.40 ¥36.57

-9.81%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥22.09

$3.18 ¥21.53

2.52%

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

$0.48 ¥3.22

$0.43 ¥2.94

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.29 ¥1.97

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.25

$0.86 ¥5.80

41.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ¥19.37

$1.91 ¥12.91

49.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.93

$1.70 ¥11.52

3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.20

$1.78 ¥12.05

9.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.32

$0.94 ¥6.33

30.85%

Eggs

$1.85 ¥12.52

$0.98 ¥6.62

88.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 ¥86.5

$14.12 ¥95.6

-9.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 ¥27.07

$2.76 ¥18.68

44.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 ¥91.3

$9.10 ¥61.6

48.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.09

$1.26 ¥8.51

42.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$0.87 ¥5.89

63.22%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$1.38 ¥9.31

25.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.51

$1.14 ¥7.69

22.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.51

$0.78 ¥5.31

42.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.48

$0.57 ¥3.88

145.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$0.55 ¥3.71

27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.86 ¥5.80

-32.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.07

$3.42 ¥23.15

4.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 ¥84.3

$13.56 ¥91.8

-8.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$1.21 ¥8.22

-25.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.38

$2.36 ¥15.96

-22.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.73

$0.27 ¥1.81

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.85 ¥148

$16.95 ¥115

28.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 ¥11.58

$0.92 ¥6.25

85.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.33 ¥2.25

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.50

$6.13 ¥41.48

14.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.14 ¥7.72

3.51%

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

$23.1K ¥156.3K

$16.8K ¥113.9K

37.23%

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

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$19.6K ¥132.8K

5.25%

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

$67.3 ¥456

$87.2 ¥590

-22.80%

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

$8.26 ¥55.9

$7.10 ¥48.06

16.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.86 ¥87.0

$7.06 ¥47.76

82.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.95 ¥338

$42.40 ¥287

17.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 ¥117

$14.06 ¥95.1

22.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 ¥47.40

$6.42 ¥43.46

9.03%

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

$460 ¥3,116

$318 ¥2,149

45.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K ¥138.2K

$4,944 ¥33.5K

313.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.14 ¥332

$38.72 ¥262

26.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.64 ¥207

$28.56 ¥193

7.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ¥510

$75.9 ¥514

-0.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 ¥533

$55.8 ¥378

41.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ¥5,013

$281 ¥1,900

163.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$187 ¥1,267

119.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 ¥11.6K

$598 ¥4,047

185.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,159

$367 ¥2,482

148.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K ¥84.7K

$3,554 ¥24.0K

252.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,184 ¥41.8K

$1,912 ¥12.9K

223.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.8K

$381 ¥2,577

357.71%

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: July 20, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiakou: July 19, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Shenzhen and $281 in Zhangjiakou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 358% 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: $27.00 in Shenzhen vs $28.00 in Zhangjiakou. Groceries flip the comparison at $229 vs $203, 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 34% 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.

Average pay runs 358% 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: $741 in Shenzhen versus $281 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 29% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $460 in Shenzhen versus $318 in Zhangjiakou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $744 in Zhangjiakou versus $999 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 34% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.