Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Anshan and Shenzhen

For one person, living is cheaper in Anshan: $626 a month against $1,131 in Shenzhen, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

30

Cost of Living Index in Anshan
Learn more

Anshan Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Shenzhen
Learn more

Shenzhen Living Index

Jump to prices

Anshan

🇨🇳 China

$626

/mo nomad

Shenzhen

🇨🇳 China

$1,131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Anshan and in Shenzhen

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Anshan and in Shenzhen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Anshan versus $1,131 in Shenzhen.

Anshan $626
Shenzhen $1,131

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,011 in Anshan versus $1,741 in Shenzhen.

Anshan $1,011
Shenzhen $1,741

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,396 in Anshan versus $2,352 in Shenzhen.

Anshan $1,396
Shenzhen $2,352

Living in Anshan costs roughly 45% less than in Shenzhen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Anshan 54% lower, Shenzhen 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.94 ¥19.67

$3.73 ¥24.93

-21.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.46 ¥123

$29.92 ¥200

-38.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.59 ¥30.70

$5.36 ¥35.83

-14.37%

Cappuccino

$2.49 ¥16.65

$3.39 ¥22.66

-26.55%

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

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.55 ¥3.67

-34.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.21 ¥1.40

$0.35 ¥2.36

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.73 ¥4.89

$1.47 ¥9.84

-50.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.79

$2.17 ¥14.50

-25.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ¥11.80

$1.59 ¥10.64

11.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.26 ¥8.42

$1.63 ¥10.88

-22.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$1.14 ¥7.59

-65.79%

Eggs

$1.06 ¥7.07

$1.78 ¥11.89

-40.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$21.25 ¥142

-57.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.24

$3.45 ¥23.10

-46.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.93 ¥59.7

$14.69 ¥98.2

-39.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.83

$2.23 ¥14.94

-54.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.80

$1.61 ¥10.73

-27.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.83

$1.89 ¥12.67

-38.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ¥7.95

$1.41 ¥9.41

-15.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$1.04 ¥6.95

-70.19%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.14

$1.25 ¥8.36

-26.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.56 ¥3.76

-48.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 ¥2.92

$0.61 ¥4.05

-27.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.78 ¥25.28

$4.38 ¥29.30

-13.70%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.39 ¥49.42

$11.72 ¥78.4

-36.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.79

$0.98 ¥6.53

-26.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.09 ¥7.29

$1.83 ¥12.21

-40.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.57 ¥3.82

-49.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.04 ¥121

$22.57 ¥151

-20.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.03 ¥6.90

$1.52 ¥10.15

-32.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.14 ¥0.90

$0.38 ¥2.55

-63.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ¥19.59

$6.99 ¥46.71

-58.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 ¥7.05

$1.35 ¥9.02

-22.22%

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

$19.5K ¥130.4K

$19.8K ¥132.4K

-1.53%

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

$15.1K ¥101.2K

$17.9K ¥119.8K

-15.50%

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

$29.47 ¥197

$62.8 ¥420

-53.04%

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

$7.37 ¥49.28

$10.25 ¥68.5

-28.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.66 ¥98.0

$16.36 ¥109

-10.39%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.48 ¥277

$49.52 ¥331

-16.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.78 ¥98.9

$17.32 ¥116

-14.67%

Cinema Ticket

$5.93 ¥39.63

$7.64 ¥51.1

-22.38%

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

$226 ¥1,514

$526 ¥3,519

-56.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.4K ¥143.1K

$24.5K ¥164.1K

-12.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.77 ¥246

$55.1 ¥369

-33.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.89 ¥220

$39.99 ¥267

-17.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.6 ¥405

$72.3 ¥484

-16.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.9 ¥468

$92.7 ¥620

-24.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 ¥1,971

$771 ¥5,158

-61.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$182 ¥1,217

$478 ¥3,195

-61.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$629 ¥4,209

$1,984 ¥13.3K

-68.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$377 ¥2,518

$852 ¥5,696

-55.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,509 ¥23.5K

$13.6K ¥91.2K

-74.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,923 ¥12.9K

$6,013 ¥40.2K

-68.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$926 ¥6,194

$1,751 ¥11.7K

-47.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

-40.30%

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

Last update for Anshan: October 18, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Anshan

$182 29.1%

Shenzhen

$478 42.3% 163% $296

Groceries & Markets

Anshan

$152 24.2%

Shenzhen

$251 22.2% 65.9% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Anshan

$90 14.4%

Shenzhen

$117 10.4% 29.9% $27

Eating Out

Anshan

$76 12.2%

Shenzhen

$102 9% 33.4% $26

Sport & Entertainment

Anshan

$53 8.5%

Shenzhen

$65 5.7% 21.5% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Anshan

$52 8.2%

Shenzhen

$89 7.9% 73.5% $38

Getting Around

Anshan

$21 3.3%

Shenzhen

$28 2.5% 35.4% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $295 in Anshan and $771 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 89% 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: $18.00 in Anshan vs $30.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $152 vs $251 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Anshan

🇨🇳 Shenzhen

🕒 Local time

00:05 12:05 AM

Same time as Anshan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,543,696

12,528,300

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Anshan Shenzhen 2,230 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Anshan
Shenzhen

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Anshan vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 89% 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: $295 in Anshan versus $771 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $626 per month in Anshan versus $1,131 in Shenzhen – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Anshan versus $1,131 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan 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 Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.