Which one is more expensive, Shanghai or Shenzhen?

This question is best answered by me. I stayed in Shanghai for four years and came to Shenzhen in November last year. Fully compare the consumption issues in the two places.

Accommodation: The cheapest single room for rent in urban Shanghai is about 2,000, or more than 2,000. It is a shared room, and you share the toilet and kitchen with other households. In a relatively remote place in the suburbs, the rent is 1500-2000, and it is also a shared rental. Before I came back, I rented in Hanghua, the terminal of Line 10, just outside the outer ring road. The two families rented together for 1550 per month, with a huge terrace. I was lucky enough to rent such a house at the time. Nice house. But it takes almost an hour and a half to go to work every day. Of course, there are also super cheap short-term rentals, priced at 600-800 a month, with bunk beds just like student dormitories. The conditions are poor, crowded, and dirty. There is also a serviced apartment, which costs more than 1,000, but is more remote and noisier.

Shenzhen is different. There are urban villages all over the place, so you can easily rent a single room with a bathroom and kitchen for more than 1,000 yuan.

In terms of food: Shanghai’s food is not very convenient and is a bit more expensive than Shenzhen’s. Not to mention the Shaxian food stalls and Lanzhou Hotels all over the country. For other ordinary fast food, most people in Shanghai need to pay more than 20 to feel comfortable eating. In Shenzhen, you can eat comfortably under 20, which is a big hit in Shanghai.

Salary income: It varies from person to person. I worked in a company before, and the basic salary of several employees at Meichen Design was 4,500-5,000. My friends and I were shocked at the time. The company operates Taobao and Tmall, and the salary is 6,000. It was 2015. I later left that company. Now in Shenzhen, I was looking for a job a few days ago and learned that part-time operations earn 6,000 as commission and customer service income is more than 5,000. Overall, the difference is not very big. Even if there is, it is slightly lower.

Other aspects: Shenzhen is located in Lingnan, where the weather is warm all year round, while Shanghai has a cold and windy winter. Shenzhen is a young city, while Shanghai lacks vitality. A large part of the subway is made up of elderly people. There are almost no elderly people on the subway in Shenzhen. Shenzhen has little cultural heritage. Shanghai is located in the south of the Yangtze River and has a classical charm. I really miss the ancient towns in Shanghai now. There is no such ancient town in Shenzhen.