---
title: "Shenzhen vs Xiamen for digital nomads"
url: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/shenzhen-vs-xiamen
description: "Under balanced weights Shenzhen edges it, 59 to 56, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Shenzhen is stronger on getting there & around; Xiamen on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you."
dataset: 2026.10.7 (2026-10-13)
license: CC BY 4.0
---

# Shenzhen vs Xiamen for digital nomads

Under balanced weights Shenzhen edges it, 59 to 56, winning 4 of the 9 factors. Shenzhen is stronger on getting there & around; Xiamen on nothing outright. Change the weights in the ranker to see which one wins for you.

## Factor scores (0–100, balanced weights)

| Metric | Shenzhen | Xiamen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Cost of living | 30 | 36 | Xiamen |
| Safety | 76 | 76 | tie |
| Healthcare | 81 | 81 | tie |
| Internet | 57 | 49 | Shenzhen |
| Visa ease | 15 | 15 | tie |
| Getting there & around | 82 | 71 | Shenzhen |
| Climate | 58 | 50 | Shenzhen |
| Air quality | 73 | 69 | Shenzhen |
| Quality of life | 55 | 55 | tie |

## Cost

| Metric | Shenzhen | Xiamen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly cost, one person | $2,152 | $1,850 | Xiamen |
| Central one-bedroom rent | no data | no data | — |

## Safety and health (country-level)

| Metric | Shenzhen | Xiamen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Homicides per 100k | 0.5 | 0.5 | tie |
| Political stability (0–100) | 66 | 66 | tie |
| UHC service coverage (0–100) | 85 | 85 | tie |
| Life expectancy | 77.6 yrs | 77.6 yrs | tie |

## Internet (M-Lab measured medians)

| Metric | Shenzhen | Xiamen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Download | 17.8 Mbps | 10.8 Mbps | Shenzhen |
| Upload | 11.1 Mbps | 9.2 Mbps | Shenzhen |

## Visa

| Metric | Shenzhen | Xiamen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Nomad visa | none listed | none listed | tie |
| Minimum income for the visa | no data | no data | — |
| Entry, US passport | visa required | visa required | tie |
| Entry, EU passport | 30 days | 30 days | tie |
| Entry, UK passport | visa required | visa required | tie |

## Getting there and around

| Metric | Shenzhen | Xiamen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Non-stop airport destinations | 182 | 60 | Shenzhen |
| Walkability (1–5, editorial) | 3 | 4 | Xiamen |
| Transit (1–5, editorial) | 5 | 4 | Shenzhen |

## Climate and air

| Metric | Shenzhen | Xiamen | Better |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Comfortable months per year | 7 | 6 | Shenzhen |
| Annual mean PM2.5 | 17.3 µg/m³ | 18.8 µg/m³ | Shenzhen |

## FAQ

### Which is cheaper, Shenzhen or Xiamen?

Xiamen is cheaper: about $1,850 per month versus $2,152 for one person.

### Is Shenzhen or Xiamen safer?

Shenzhen scores higher on safety (76 vs 76), based on national homicide rates and World Bank political-stability scores.

### Where is the internet faster, Shenzhen or Xiamen?

Shenzhen: a measured median of 17.8 Mbps versus 10.8 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024).

City pages: [Shenzhen](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/shenzhen) · [Xiamen](https://nostos.navoy.io/cities/xiamen). Sources: Cost of Living Global 2026 (city rows); 2026 Cost of Living Index (country level); Digital Nomad Visas 2026; Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100); Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year); UHC service coverage index; Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes; M-Lab NDT statistics (city aggregates, 2024); Airport destinations (Wikipedia airline and destination tables); NASA POWER climatology (2001–2020 monthly means); WHO Ambient Air Quality Database, June 2026 update (V8); Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023); EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band); Walkability and transit ratings (editorial); Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations); Official entry rules that changed after the Passport Index snapshot; WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages); OpenStreetMap restaurants (Overpass API); Starlink availability map.

HTML page: https://nostos.navoy.io/compare/shenzhen-vs-xiamen