Which place is cheaper, Nanjing or Shenzhen?
These are the overall average travel costs for the two destinations. These travel costs come from the actual spending of real travelers.
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Should you visit Shenzhen or Nanjing?
Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?
Trying to figure out where to travel next? This travel comparison between Shenzhen and Nanjing can help. It includes a travel cost comparison in addition to other factors. For many travelers, the cost of a destination is a primary consideration when choosing where to go.
Where Should I go: Shenzhen or Nanjing?
Shenzhen
Located in the Guangdong Province of southeastern China, Shenzhen is a metropolis that connects Hong Kong to China's mainland. It is one of China's most populous cities, inhabited by vast array of people from other Chinese regions. It is perhaps best known for it shopping, collection of amusement parks, green parks, museums and galleries, and a few historic sites. It is on UNESCO's Creative Cities list.
Nanjing
Nanjing is the capital city of the Jiangsu Province on the central eastern coast of China, just north of Shanghai. This historically and culturally rich city lies at the lower end of the Yangtze river, resulting in lush and scenic landscapes. Nanjing is well-known for having many popular historical sites, some of which have been listed as UNESCO World Heritage sites.
For some great organized tour ideas, see The Best Sightseeing Tours in China, The Best Cultural Tours in China, The Best Luxury Tours to China, and The Best Budget Tours to China.
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Shenzhen Prices
China PricesNanjing Prices
China Prices -
Average Daily Cost Per person, per dayShenzhen $148Nanjing $124
The average daily cost (per person) in Shenzhen is $148, while the average daily cost in Nanjing is $124. These costs include accommodation (assuming double occupancy, so the traveler is sharing the room), food, transportation, and entertainment. While every person is different, these costs are an average of past travelers in each destination. What follows is a categorical breakdown of travel costs for Shenzhen and Nanjing in more detail.
Accommodation
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Accommodation Hotel or hostel for one personShenzhen $96Nanjing $49
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Accommodation Typical double-occupancy roomShenzhen $192Nanjing $98
Compare Hotels in Shenzhen and Nanjing
Looking for a hotel in Shenzhen or Nanjing? Prices vary by location, date, season, and the level of luxury. See below for options and compare which is best for your budget and travel style.
Kayak helps you find the best prices for hotels, flights, and rental cars for destinations around the world. Compare prices for multiple destinations when planning your next trip.
Local Transportation
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Local Transportation Taxis, local buses, subway, etc.Shenzhen $16Nanjing $41
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Shenzhen
Also for Shenzhen, here are a few examples of actual transportation services:
- A One-Way Disneyland Pick-Up Transfer to Hong Kong Hotel: $33
- Disneyland Private 2-Way Transfer Service: $90
- HK Airport to Cruise Terminal Rounded-Trip Private Transfer by Lexus Luxury Car: $140
- HK City, Cruise Terminal and Train Station Transfer Luxury MPV: $92
- HONG KONG Airport Private Transfer Service: $148
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) Transfer to Shenzhen by Toyota Alphard: $220
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong - Arrival Private Transfer: $51
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong -Round-Trip Private Transfer: $89
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Hong Kong hotels - Round-Trip Private Transfer: $103
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Kai Tak Cruise Terminal - Arrival Private Transfer: $68
- Hong Kong Airport (HKG) to Kai Tak Port - Round- Trip Private Transfer: $136
- Hong Kong Airport Transfer Luxury MPV: $118
Hired Cars and Shuttles in Nanjing
Some specific examples of transportation prices in Nanjing:
- Tangshan Hot Spring Resorts Private Transfer from Nanjing Railway Station: $44
- Private Transfer to Zhenjiang from Nanjing City Center: $94
- Private Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station from Lukou Airport: $45
- Private Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station from City Hotels: $33
- Private Transfer to Gaochun City from Nanjing Lukou Airport: $88
- Private Transfer between Nanjing Olympic Stadium and City Hotel: $33
- Private Transfer Between Tangshan Hot Spring Resort and Nanjing Lukou Airport: $49
- Private Round Trip Transfer to Yangzhou Attractions from Nanjing: $89
- Private Nanjing Airport Transfer to City Center or Tangshan Hot Spring Resorts: $46
- Private Nanjing Airport Transfer from City Hotels or Tangshan Hot Spring Resorts: $45
- Private NKG Airport Transfer to Nanjing Railway Station: $45
- Private Departure Transfer from Nanjing City Center to Lukou Int'l Airport: $45
Is it cheaper to fly into Shenzhen or Nanjing?
Prices for flights to both Nanjing and Shenzhen change regularly based on dates and travel demand. We suggest you find the best prices for your next trip on Kayak, because you can compare the cost of flights across multiple airlines for your prefered dates.
Food
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Food Meals for one dayShenzhen $37Nanjing $52
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Shenzhen
For Shenzhen, here are some samples of tours and activities related to meals and dining experiences:
- Shenzhen Food Tour with Locals: $37
- Hong Kong: Fresh Produce Market and Cook-to-Order Food Tour: $39
- Hong Kong: 7-Course Hong Kong Street & Restaurant Food Tour: $59
- Hong Kong's Tin Hau Hidden Gems Food Tour with 7+ Local Tastings: $107
- Hong Kong Sightseeing Tour With Dinner Cruise From Shenzhen: $136
- Hong Kong Private & Personalized Street Food Tour with a Local: $169
- Kowloon Street Food Tour Private & Personalized with a Local: $170
- Hong Kong Tour, Victoria Harbour Dinner Cruise & TurboJet Transfers from Macau: $170
- The 10 Tastings of Hong Kong With Locals: Private Street Food Tour: $190
- Kowloon Night Street Food Tour with a Local: Private & Customized: $195
- Private Hong Kong Top Night Tour: Cruise, Aquarium Dinner, Peak: $249
- Hong Kong Private Food Tour with Michelin Street Food: $294
Food Tours and Cooking Classes in Nanjing
Also, here are some specific examples of food and dining related activities in Nanjing.
- 3-Hour Nanjing Authentic Local Food Tour by Public Transportation: $93
- Flexible Private Nanjing City Night Tour with Dinner Option: $112
- Nanjing City Private Night Tour with Qinghuai River Cruise and Dinner Option: $114
- Nanjing Private Tour: Ming Mausoleum, Night View & Local Dinner: $198
Entertainment
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Entertainment Entrance tickets, shows, etc.Shenzhen $18Nanjing $9.92
Tours and Activities in Shenzhen
For Shenzhen, here are a few prices for actual activities, tours, and tickets provided by various companies:
- Introduction to Hong Kong: Central Tip Based Walking Tour: $2.62
- Between Capitalism & Communism: Hong Kong History Tip Based Tour: $2.62
- Private Audio Guided Walking Tour in Hong Kong: $4.67
- Victoria Peak: Climb to the summit via the Mid-Levels escalato on an audio tour: $5.40
- Yau Ma Tei: A Self-Guided Audio Tour in the Heart of Kowloon: $5.40
- Hong Kong Self-Guided Audio Tour: $6.00
- Hong Kong Ghost Tour: $6.00
- Secret Hong Kong: Hidden Local Spots Self Guided Adventure: $8.18
- Markets in Motion: Audio Tour of Mong Kok: $8.99
- Lights, Harbour, Action! A Self-Guided Tsim Sha Tsui Walking Tour: $9.99
- Hong Kong: Airport Express e-Ticket (Kowloon/HK/Tsing Yi): $11
- Monopoly Dreams Hong Kong Ticket Peak Galleria 4D Fun: $13
Tours and Activities in Nanjing
Here are a few actual costs in Nanjing for available activities, ticket prices, and tours:
- 2-Day Nanjing Private Flexible Customized Tour with Lunch Option: $295
- 4-Hour Nanjing City Private Tailor-Made Tour in Your Way: $109
- 4-Hour Nanjing Private Tour with Xiaoling Tomb and Sun Yatsen Mausoleum: $124
- 6-Hour Private Tour of Xiaoling Tomb,City Wall & Memorial Hall: $144
- All Inclusive Amazing Nanjing City Highlights Private Day Tour: $193
- All Inclusive Nanjing City Private Day Tour with Tailor-Made Highlights: $213
- Flexible Private Nanjing City Highlights Day Tour: $150
- Flexible Private Nanjing Independent Tour: $63
- Flexible Private Nanjing Layover Tour: $171
- Half Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour with Night River Cruise: $206
- Half Day Private Tour to Niushoushan Cultural Park in Nanjing: $156
- Half-Day Nanjing City Private Flexible Tour: $109
Alcohol
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Alcohol Drinks for one dayShenzhen $20Nanjing $10
Sample the Local Flavors in Shenzhen
Here are a few nightlife and alcohol tours and activities from local tour providers in Shenzhen:
- Hong Kong Pub Crawl at Lan Kwai Fong (LKF): $13
When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Shenzhen and Nanjing, we can see that Shenzhen is more expensive. And not only is Nanjing much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Nanjing would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Nanjing and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Shenzhen would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Shenzhen than you might in Nanjing.
If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Shenzhen Expensive? and Is Nanjing Expensive?.
Which is Bigger, Shenzhen or Nanjing?
Nanjing has a larger population, and is about 3 times larger than the population of Shenzhen. When comparing the sizes of Shenzhen and Nanjing, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.
When is the best time to visit Shenzhen or Nanjing?
Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.
Should I visit Shenzhen or Nanjing in the Summer?
Both Nanjing and Shenzhen during the summer are popular places to visit.
In July, Shenzhen is generally around the same temperature as Nanjing. Daily temperatures in Shenzhen average around 30°C (85°F), and Nanjing fluctuates around 28°C (83°F).
Nanjing gets a good bit of rain this time of year. It rains a lot this time of the year in Shenzhen. Shenzhen usually gets more rain in July than Nanjing. Shenzhen gets 323 mm (12.7 in) of rain, while Nanjing receives 174 mm (6.9 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Summer Average Temperatures JulyShenzhen 30°C (85°F)Nanjing 28°C (83°F)
Should I visit Shenzhen or Nanjing in the Autumn?
The autumn attracts plenty of travelers to both Shenzhen and Nanjing.
Shenzhen is a little warmer than Nanjing in the autumn. The daily temperature in Shenzhen averages around 26°C (78°F) in October, and Nanjing fluctuates around 17°C (63°F).
Shenzhen gets a good bit of rain this time of year. In October, Shenzhen usually receives more rain than Nanjing. Shenzhen gets 143 mm (5.6 in) of rain, while Nanjing receives 44 mm (1.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.
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Autumn Average Temperatures OctoberShenzhen 26°C (78°F)Nanjing 17°C (63°F)
Should I visit Shenzhen or Nanjing in the Winter?
The winter brings many poeple to Shenzhen as well as Nanjing.
The weather in Nanjing can be very cold. In the winter, Shenzhen is much warmer than Nanjing. Typically, the winter temperatures in Shenzhen in January average around 16°C (60°F), and Nanjing averages at about 3°C (37°F).
Shenzhen usually gets around the same amount of rain in January as Nanjing. Shenzhen gets 26 mm (1 in) of rain, while Nanjing receives 27 mm (1.1 in) of rain this time of the year.
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Winter Average Temperatures JanuaryShenzhen 16°C (60°F)Nanjing 3°C (37°F)
Should I visit Shenzhen or Nanjing in the Spring?
Both Nanjing and Shenzhen are popular destinations to visit in the spring with plenty of activities.
In April, Shenzhen is generally a little warmer than Nanjing. Daily temperatures in Shenzhen average around 23°C (73°F), and Nanjing fluctuates around 15°C (60°F).
It rains a lot this time of the year in Nanjing. It's quite rainy in Shenzhen. In April, Shenzhen usually receives more rain than Nanjing. Shenzhen gets 154 mm (6.1 in) of rain, while Nanjing receives 101 mm (4 in) of rain each month for the spring.
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Spring Average Temperatures AprilShenzhen 23°C (73°F)Nanjing 15°C (60°F)
Typical Weather for Nanjing and Shenzhen
| Shenzhen | Nanjing | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | Temp (°C) | Rain (mm) | |
| Jan | 16°C (60°F) | 26 mm (1 in) | 3°C (37°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) |
| Feb | 16°C (61°F) | 48 mm (1.9 in) | 4°C (40°F) | 52 mm (2 in) |
| Mar | 19°C (66°F) | 67 mm (2.6 in) | 9°C (48°F) | 69 mm (2.7 in) |
| Apr | 23°C (73°F) | 154 mm (6.1 in) | 15°C (60°F) | 101 mm (4 in) |
| May | 27°C (80°F) | 325 mm (12.8 in) | 21°C (69°F) | 88 mm (3.5 in) |
| Jun | 29°C (83°F) | 382 mm (15 in) | 25°C (77°F) | 114 mm (4.5 in) |
| Jul | 30°C (85°F) | 323 mm (12.7 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 174 mm (6.9 in) |
| Aug | 29°C (85°F) | 393 mm (15.5 in) | 28°C (83°F) | 158 mm (6.2 in) |
| Sep | 28°C (83°F) | 300 mm (11.8 in) | 23°C (74°F) | 105 mm (4.1 in) |
| Oct | 26°C (78°F) | 143 mm (5.6 in) | 17°C (63°F) | 44 mm (1.7 in) |
| Nov | 21°C (70°F) | 35 mm (1.4 in) | 11°C (52°F) | 64 mm (2.5 in) |
| Dec | 17°C (63°F) | 27 mm (1.1 in) | 5°C (41°F) | 25 mm (1 in) |
Budget Your Trip is all about finding out how much everything costs so that you can travel cheaper and longer. Created by avid travelers Laurie and Bryan, our goal is to help you plan your next trip on the right budget. With average daily travel costs that are calculated from the budgets of real travelers, plus an analysis of hotel and tour prices, you can find out how much money you need to plan your next adventure. We also have plenty of travel advice, accommodation reviews, and activity suggestions.