Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaozhou and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chaozhou and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $634 in Chaozhou versus $1,139 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,051 in Chaozhou versus $1,731 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,468 in Chaozhou versus $2,322 in Shenzhen.

Living in Chaozhou costs roughly 44% less than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.26 ¥15.17

$4.02 ¥26.92

-43.78%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.16 ¥155

$29.93 ¥201

-22.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.67 ¥24.61

$5.28 ¥35.38

-30.49%

Cappuccino

$1.46 ¥9.78

$3.36 ¥22.49

-56.55%

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

$0.49 ¥3.29

$0.54 ¥3.64

-9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$0.36 ¥2.39

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.18

$1.46 ¥9.77

-16.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.94 ¥19.70

$2.25 ¥15.09

30.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.46 ¥9.76

$1.63 ¥10.92

-10.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.45 ¥9.73

$1.79 ¥12.00

-18.99%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.86

$1.18 ¥7.88

-38.98%

Eggs

$1.09 ¥7.34

$1.69 ¥11.32

-35.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.30 ¥62.3

$22.03 ¥148

-57.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.53 ¥16.99

$3.62 ¥24.23

-30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.75 ¥78.7

$14.16 ¥94.9

-17.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.30 ¥15.38

$2.19 ¥14.65

5.02%

Banana (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.82

$1.55 ¥10.39

-43.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.09

$1.89 ¥12.69

-51.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.23

$1.48 ¥9.89

22.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$1.18 ¥7.94

-51.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.43 ¥2.90

$1.53 ¥10.28

-71.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ¥3.14

$0.54 ¥3.63

-12.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.58 ¥3.89

-50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.94 ¥19.71

$4.54 ¥30.40

-35.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.21 ¥75.1

$12.65 ¥84.8

-11.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.83

$0.91 ¥6.08

-20.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$1.85 ¥12.38

-36.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.10

$0.61 ¥4.12

-49.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.68 ¥118

$22.16 ¥148

-20.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.01 ¥6.75

$1.47 ¥9.88

-31.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.11

$0.40 ¥2.68

-22.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.06 ¥47.32

$7.25 ¥48.62

-2.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$1.25 ¥8.36

-3.20%

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

$19.2K ¥128.6K

$19.1K ¥127.8K

0.68%

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

$17.5K ¥117.2K

$18.1K ¥121.5K

-3.54%

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

$43.38 ¥291

$61.6 ¥413

-29.53%

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

$4.19 ¥28.05

$9.91 ¥66.4

-57.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.39 ¥76.3

$15.09 ¥101

-24.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.32 ¥277

$49.53 ¥332

-16.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.59 ¥97.8

$16.99 ¥114

-14.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ¥43.23

$7.35 ¥49.27

-12.24%

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

$483 ¥3,238

$525 ¥3,516

-7.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥160.9K

$24.0K ¥161.1K

-0.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$13.19 ¥88.4

$49.95 ¥335

-73.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.12 ¥188

$40.26 ¥270

-30.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.1 ¥597

$69.2 ¥464

28.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$59.9 ¥402

$86.2 ¥578

-30.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$324 ¥2,171

$768 ¥5,144

-57.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ¥1,205

$466 ¥3,125

-61.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$614 ¥4,115

$1,818 ¥12.2K

-66.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ¥2,510

$855 ¥5,732

-56.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,121 ¥20.9K

$13.4K ¥90.0K

-76.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,903 ¥12.7K

$6,284 ¥42.1K

-69.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$485 ¥3,251

$1,688 ¥11.3K

-71.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

3.4

1.76%

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

Last update for Chaozhou: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $324 in Chaozhou and $768 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 248% 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: $23.00 in Chaozhou vs $30.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $178 vs $257 per month, with Chaozhou cheaper across the board.

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

Chaozhou vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Chaozhou and Shenzhen differ by about 80% in total monthly costs ($634 vs $1,139 including rent). Chaozhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 248% 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: $324 in Chaozhou versus $768 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $483 in Chaozhou versus $525 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $634 in Chaozhou versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chaozhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Chaozhou 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 Chaozhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.