Cost of Living Comparison Between Chenzhou and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Chenzhou and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $728 per month in Chenzhou vs $1,016 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,144 per month in Chenzhou vs $1,642 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,560 per month in Chenzhou vs $2,268 in Shenzhen, rent included.

Chenzhou is about 28% cheaper than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chenzhou and Shenzhen are more affordable than the global median – Chenzhou 46% lower, Shenzhen 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.87 ¥19.58

$3.12 ¥21.34

-8.01%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.27 ¥145

$27.87 ¥190

-23.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥34.03

$5.15 ¥35.17

-3.30%

Cappuccino

$1.43 ¥9.75

$3.17 ¥21.67

-54.89%

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

$0.46 ¥3.13

$0.52 ¥3.58

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.85

$0.30 ¥2.06

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.42

$1.27 ¥8.70

-14.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.67

$2.82 ¥19.26

-34.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ¥13.61

$1.83 ¥12.47

8.74%

White Bread (500g)

$2.23 ¥15.25

$1.94 ¥13.26

14.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.98

$1.18 ¥8.03

-38.14%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.37

$1.87 ¥12.76

-10.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.71 ¥107

$12.81 ¥87.5

22.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ¥21.14

$3.86 ¥26.35

-19.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.78 ¥60.0

$13.49 ¥92.2

-34.91%

Apples (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.71

$1.83 ¥12.49

-70.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.44

$1.42 ¥9.68

-23.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.71

$1.73 ¥11.82

-60.12%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.72

$1.39 ¥9.50

-18.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.51

$1.06 ¥7.25

-10.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.66

$1.42 ¥9.70

-0.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ¥3.24

$0.69 ¥4.71

-31.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.39 ¥2.67

$0.60 ¥4.12

-35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.78 ¥18.97

$3.38 ¥23.07

-17.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.51 ¥85.5

$14.51 ¥99.1

-13.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.45

$0.93 ¥6.32

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ¥9.64

$1.86 ¥12.67

-24.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥2.00

$0.44 ¥3.01

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.74 ¥114

$22.43 ¥153

-25.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.27 ¥8.69

$1.64 ¥11.20

-22.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$0.35 ¥2.37

-25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.54 ¥58.3

$6.85 ¥46.79

24.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.62

$1.13 ¥7.74

-0.88%

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

$20.7K ¥141.2K

$22.7K ¥155.3K

-9.09%

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

$21.5K ¥147.1K

$20.7K ¥141.2K

4.19%

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

$42.88 ¥293

$67.5 ¥461

-36.43%

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

$12.53 ¥85.6

$8.23 ¥56.2

52.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.53 ¥99.2

$12.77 ¥87.3

13.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 ¥281

$49.87 ¥341

-17.61%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.76 ¥94.0

$17.30 ¥118

-20.46%

Cinema Ticket

$5.90 ¥40.28

$7.13 ¥48.69

-17.25%

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

$316 ¥2,161

$454 ¥3,099

-30.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,346 ¥50.2K

$20.3K ¥138.5K

-63.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$84.7 ¥578

$48.09 ¥328

76.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.01 ¥212

$30.71 ¥210

0.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.1 ¥567

$76.9 ¥525

7.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.9 ¥471

$78.7 ¥537

-12.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$276 ¥1,883

$728 ¥4,973

-62.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ¥1,303

$402 ¥2,747

-52.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ¥4,022

$1,674 ¥11.4K

-64.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ¥2,434

$927 ¥6,329

-61.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,867 ¥19.6K

$13.3K ¥90.7K

-78.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,040 ¥13.9K

$6,100 ¥41.7K

-66.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,640 ¥11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

4.04

-3.71%

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

Last update for Chenzhou: April 14, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $276 in Chenzhou versus $728 in Shenzhen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21 in Chenzhou versus $28 in Shenzhen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $203 vs $233 – making Chenzhou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Chenzhou vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $728 in Chenzhou, $1,016 in Shenzhen – roughly 40% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,092 per month in Chenzhou and $1,524 in Shenzhen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chenzhou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 34% less in Chenzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $316 per month in Chenzhou and $454 in Shenzhen. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chenzhou, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Shenzhen at $1,016. In Chenzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chenzhou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chenzhou. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shenzhen makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.