Cost of Living Comparison Between Yiwu and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Yiwu and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $549 in Yiwu versus $1,139 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,296 in Yiwu versus $1,731 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,044 in Yiwu versus $2,322 in Shenzhen.

Living in Yiwu costs roughly 52% less than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Yiwu 60% lower, Shenzhen 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥18.80

$4.02 ¥26.92

-30.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.03 ¥201

$29.93 ¥201

0.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 ¥35.73

$5.28 ¥35.38

0.95%

Cappuccino

$3.34 ¥22.37

$3.36 ¥22.49

-0.60%

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

$0.59 ¥3.98

$0.54 ¥3.64

9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.42

$0.36 ¥2.39

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$1.46 ¥9.77

-19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.93

$2.25 ¥15.09

5.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ¥13.43

$1.63 ¥10.92

22.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.79 ¥12.00

10.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$1.18 ¥7.88

-14.41%

Eggs

$1.60 ¥10.73

$1.69 ¥11.32

-5.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.11 ¥115

$22.03 ¥148

-22.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ¥21.92

$3.62 ¥24.23

-9.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ¥87.8

$14.16 ¥94.9

-7.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.03

$2.19 ¥14.65

2.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.25

$1.55 ¥10.39

18.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.01 ¥13.46

$1.89 ¥12.69

6.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$1.48 ¥9.89

20.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.43

$1.18 ¥7.94

-31.36%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.22

$1.53 ¥10.28

-39.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.07

$0.54 ¥3.63

12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.58 ¥3.89

20.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.55 ¥30.51

$4.54 ¥30.40

0.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.06 ¥74.1

$12.65 ¥84.8

-12.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.82

$0.91 ¥6.08

-4.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.83

$1.85 ¥12.38

-12.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.61 ¥4.12

-29.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.11

$1.47 ¥9.88

-7.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.44 ¥2.94

$0.40 ¥2.68

10.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 ¥59.2

$7.25 ¥48.62

21.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.61

$1.25 ¥8.36

2.40%

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

$19.3K ¥129.6K

$19.1K ¥127.8K

1.41%

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

$18.1K ¥121.1K

$18.1K ¥121.5K

-0.34%

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

$61.3 ¥411

$61.6 ¥413

-0.44%

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

$8.61 ¥57.7

$9.91 ¥66.4

-13.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.18 ¥68.2

$15.09 ¥101

-32.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.94 ¥100

$49.53 ¥332

-69.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.31 ¥75.8

$16.99 ¥114

-33.43%

Cinema Ticket

$7.20 ¥48.28

$7.35 ¥49.27

-2.04%

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

$1,417 ¥9,497

$525 ¥3,516

170.13%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.7K ¥179.0K

$24.0K ¥161.1K

11.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ¥357

$49.95 ¥335

6.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.83 ¥247

$40.26 ¥270

-8.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.6 ¥514

$69.2 ¥464

10.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.0 ¥489

$86.2 ¥578

-15.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$451 ¥3,023

$768 ¥5,144

-41.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,056 ¥7,074

$1,818 ¥12.2K

-41.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ¥5,045

$855 ¥5,732

-11.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$11.8K ¥78.7K

$13.4K ¥90.0K

-12.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,931 ¥19.6K

$6,284 ¥42.1K

-53.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$588 ¥3,941

$1,688 ¥11.3K

-65.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.4

-1.47%

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

Last update for Yiwu: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $451 in Yiwu and $768 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 187% 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: $30.00 in Yiwu vs $30.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $241 vs $257 per month, with Yiwu 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

Yiwu vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yiwu wins on cost – living expenses run 108% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Yiwu the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 187% lower in Shenzhen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $451 in Yiwu versus $768 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,417 in Yiwu versus $525 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Yiwu – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $549 in Yiwu versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yiwu but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Yiwu 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 Yiwu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.