Shenzhen Vs. Chongqing - A city comparison

China Health Insurance compares expat living in two of China’s up and coming cities: Shenzhen and Chongqing.

As two of China’s so-called ‘second tier cities’, massive changes are taking place in Shenzhen and Chongqing as both cities focus on growth, as well as urban development. Although Beijing and Shanghai are setting the pace in China insofar as expat living is concerned, both Shenzhen and Chongqing are quickly playing catch up. The expat populations in both cities are growing year on year, due to increased investment from domestic and multinational corporations setting up offices and providing job opportunities. From an expat point of view, the two cities have made enormous strides in recent years, but which is best and why? Let’s find out.

Shenzhen

Situated on China’s south coast and in close proximity to Hong Kong, Shenzhen was little more than a small fishing village until the late 1970s. As China began its policy of opening up to foreign trade and investment, Shenzhen’s location beside Hong Kong meant it became one of five Special Economic Zones (SEZ), which were set up to encourage capitalism, but with socialist or Chinese attributes. Shenzhen became a magnet for manufacturing, particularly in the electronics and high-tech industries. The growth of these companies has been reflected in the rapid development of Shenzhen itself, and it is now the biggest city in the Pearl River region, having outpaced its provincial rival, Guangzhou. Shenzhen is not only one of the fastest growing cities in China, but the world.

Most expats in Shenzhen work in the manufacturing or services industries. A number of China’s most successful high-tech companies have their headquarters in Shenzhen, while the Taiwanese Hon Hai Group (also known as Foxconn) has one of their biggest manufacturing plants in the city. Foxconn has become famous through its work for Apple, manufacturing and assembling many of the parts for Apple’s range of products. Shenzhen also has its own stock exchange and has a rapidly developing central business district (CBD).

Chongqing

Chongqing is one of four municipal districts in China, the other three being Beijing, Tianjin and Shanghai. What sets this city apart from the other three is that it is not situated along China’s prosperous eastern coastline, but rather deep in southwest China. Formerly part of Sichuan province until its change of status in 1997, Chongqing is also the largest of the four municipalities in terms of size and population. In 2011, its total population was estimated to be some 29 million people.

Similar to Shenzhen, Chongqing is one of China’s major manufacturing hubs. It has been one of the main beneficiaries of the Chinese government’s policy to help promote and develop the west of the country, and its transformation into a sprawling metropolis has been nothing short of phenomenal. The geographical location of Chongqing has ensured that its manufacturing industries have focused on producing goods for use in China, as opposed to goods or services for export. Among the main industries that the city is becoming famous for are the manufacture of automobiles, textiles, machinery and chemicals. In addition to Chinese car manufacturers, other large corporations based in Chongqing include Ford Motors, which has three large plants in the city.

Given the transformation both cities have seen in recent years, have the lifestyles of expats changed for the better too?

Transport

Focusing firstly on transport, Shenzhen’s underground transit system, or metro, opened in 2004 and has since grown in size with five separate lines. There are 137 stations in total, connecting the outer reaches of the city with the CBD and other areas of importance. An average of 2.5 million passengers use the metro each day, and recent plans to integrate local transport cards with the Hong Kong Octopus Card allow for easier travel between the two cities.

Chongqing’s metro opened in 2005 and currently has four lines in operation, although there are plans for another 14 in consideration. The main business and urban areas are served well by the metro system, however, travel to large parts of the city can only be done by bus or car, which can be very time consuming.

Western Dining

As the number of expats in both cities continues to increase, so too do the companies offering Western style products and services. Shenzhen in particular has seen an explosion in the number of restaurants, bars, shopping malls and other entertainment venues that are mainly geared towards expats. There is now a lively social scene in the city, with the Huaqiao City area home to many of Shenzhen’s most popular bars and nightclubs.

Chongqing has retained a slightly more traditional outlook in terms of its social scene with less bars and clubs than Shenzhen. Most bars are also limited to the area near the War Memorial, with few opening later than 2AM.

Cost of Living

In common with most Chinese cities, price inflation has not escaped either Shenzhen or Chongqing. The cost of just about everything in these two cities has increased substantially in recent times, and this includes a general cost of living and apartment rents. Although less expensive than both Beijing and Shanghai, the increase in rents has affected expats to some degree with many now living further outside the city center than they would like.

Climate

As both cities are located in southern China, Shenzhen and Chongqing have humid and subtropical climates. Winters are short and mild, while summers are typically hot and humid. Shenzhen receives more rainfall in summer, while Chongqing has higher temperatures. With Shenzhen being situated along the coast, summer breezes help keep the city cooler than Chongqing, although it is prone to typhoons and tropical storms from late spring through to Autumn. Chongqing suffers from considerable fog and mist during springtime, and its annual rate of sunshine is low at just 44 days each year. It is also affected by poor air quality for much of the year, although the government has enacted steps to help improve air quality in the city.

If faced with the prospect of living in either Shenzhen or Chongqing, the reasons for choosing one city over the other are entirely subjective. Some may prefer living near the coast while others might like to live inland near rivers and mountains. The comparative list can go on and on. What we do know is that both cities offer expats an enjoyable work and life experience which is the envy of many other cities in China.

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