Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabriz and Shantou Cost of Living Comparison Between Tabriz and Shantou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $557 per month in Tabriz vs $682 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $917 per month in Tabriz vs $1,079 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,277 per month in Tabriz vs $1,475 in Shantou, rent included.

Tabriz is about 18% cheaper than Shantou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Tabriz and Shantou are more affordable than the global median – Tabriz 58% lower, Shantou 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.81 $4.81

$2.04 ¥13.81

135.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.22 $20.22

$16.77 ¥113

20.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.97 $2.97

$4.85 ¥32.83

-38.76%

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 $0.79

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.28 $1.28

Cappuccino

$1.16 $1.16

$3.25 ¥22.02

-64.31%

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

$1.02 $1.02

$0.47 ¥3.21

117.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.99 $0.99

$0.30 ¥2.05

230.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.85 ¥5.78

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.62 ¥17.73

Milk (1 liter)

$0.59 $0.59

$1.64 ¥11.12

-64.02%

White Bread (500g)

$0.52 $0.52

$1.41 ¥9.51

-63.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.92 $1.92

$0.68 ¥4.64

182.35%

Eggs

$1.26 $1.26

$1.91 ¥12.95

-34.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$3.38 $3.38

$12.68 ¥85.9

-73.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.83 $2.83

$3.74 ¥25.29

-24.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.61 $9.61

$12.23 ¥82.8

-21.42%

Apples (1kg)

$0.95 $0.95

$1.82 ¥12.30

-47.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 $1.43

$1.47 ¥9.95

-2.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 $1.23

$1.67 ¥11.33

-26.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.57 $0.57

$1.23 ¥8.36

-53.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 $0.51

$0.81 ¥5.51

-37.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.44 $0.44

$0.98 ¥6.65

-55.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 $0.62

$0.64 ¥4.32

-3.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.25 $0.25

$0.41 ¥2.75

-39.02%

Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)

$0.62 $0.62

Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 $0.54

Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 $1.41

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.21 $2.21

$3.52 ¥23.81

-37.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.35 ¥83.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.58

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.49 $0.49

$0.37 ¥2.48

32.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.13 $20.13

$22.53 ¥153

-10.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.29 $0.29

$1.56 ¥10.55

-81.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.19 $0.19

$0.33 ¥2.23

-42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.97 $3.97

$6.81 ¥46.07

-41.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.70 $0.70

$1.14 ¥7.70

-38.60%

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

$71.9K $71.9K

$20.9K ¥141.2K

244.85%

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

$56.2K $56.2K

$19.4K ¥131.1K

190.36%

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

$14.31 $14.31

$54.3 ¥368

-73.67%

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

$2.13 $2.13

$8.22 ¥55.6

-74.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.68 $5.68

$12.89 ¥87.2

-55.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.70 $14.70

$42.13 ¥285

-65.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.96 $24.96

$14.10 ¥95.5

77.02%

Cinema Ticket

$1.72 $1.72

$7.11 ¥48.14

-75.81%

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

$66.5 $66.5

$450 ¥3,049

-85.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$681 $681

$20.7K ¥140.0K

-96.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$16.59 $16.59

$49.52 ¥335

-66.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$12.80 $12.80

$30.31 ¥205

-57.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$174 $174

$75.8 ¥513

129.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$49.42 $49.42

$79.5 ¥538

-37.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$189 $189

$281 ¥1,903

-32.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$193 $193

$138 ¥933

39.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$874 $874

$550 ¥3,726

58.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$403 $403

$274 ¥1,855

47.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$862 $862

$3,174 ¥21.5K

-72.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$855 $855

$1,799 ¥12.2K

-52.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$230 $230

$1,043 ¥7,062

-77.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

444.55%

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

Last update for Tabriz: May 30, 2026

Last update for Shantou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $189 in Tabriz versus $281 in Shantou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 353% higher in Shantou, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Tabriz versus $17.00 in Shantou. Groceries tell a different story – $106 in Tabriz vs $209 in Shantou – so Tabriz wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated March 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Tabriz vs Shantou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $557 in Tabriz, $682 in Shantou – roughly 23% apart. Shantou costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $835 per month in Tabriz and $1,023 in Shantou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Tabriz, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 98% more in Shantou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $20.00 in Tabriz and $17.00 in Shantou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

$800 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $557 in Tabriz and $682 in Shantou, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Tabriz – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Tabriz. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shantou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.