Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Foshan and Shenzhen

For one person, living is cheaper in Foshan: $777 a month against $1,138 in Shenzhen, rent and utilities included – about $4,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Foshan
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Foshan Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Shenzhen
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Shenzhen Living Index

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Foshan

🇨🇳 China

$777

/mo nomad

Shenzhen

🇨🇳 China

$1,138

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Foshan 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 Foshan and in Shenzhen actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $777 in Foshan versus $1,138 in Shenzhen.

Foshan $777
Shenzhen $1,138

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,242 in Foshan versus $1,750 in Shenzhen.

Foshan $1,242
Shenzhen $1,750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,708 in Foshan versus $2,362 in Shenzhen.

Foshan $1,708
Shenzhen $2,362

Living in Foshan costs roughly 32% less than in Shenzhen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foshan 42% lower, Shenzhen 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 ¥25.26

$3.67 ¥24.53

3.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.79 ¥152

$29.43 ¥197

-22.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ¥34.19

$5.28 ¥35.28

-3.22%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.50

$3.27 ¥21.83

-6.12%

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

$0.52 ¥3.49

$0.54 ¥3.63

-3.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.33 ¥2.20

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.17

$1.53 ¥10.23

-20.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.61

$2.15 ¥14.38

-12.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥11.11

$1.62 ¥10.85

2.47%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ¥7.48

$1.62 ¥10.85

-30.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.16

$1.09 ¥7.27

-15.60%

Eggs

$1.70 ¥11.38

$1.71 ¥11.44

-0.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.68 ¥112

$21.39 ¥143

-22.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ¥26.18

$3.45 ¥23.08

13.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 ¥71.5

$14.25 ¥95.3

-24.98%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ¥20.16

$2.34 ¥15.64

28.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.51

$1.58 ¥10.55

-19.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.69

$1.95 ¥13.03

-2.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ¥10.91

$1.47 ¥9.85

10.88%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.27

$1.08 ¥7.21

0.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.38

$1.25 ¥8.35

-24.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.26

$0.59 ¥3.97

8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.36

$0.59 ¥3.95

-15.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 ¥14.89

$4.41 ¥29.47

-49.43%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 ¥68.4

$11.73 ¥78.4

-12.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.24

$0.98 ¥6.57

-5.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.13

$1.75 ¥11.69

-13.71%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.63 ¥4.20

-50.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.62 ¥71.0

$22.28 ¥149

-52.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ¥10.18

$1.45 ¥9.71

4.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.39 ¥2.60

20.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 ¥58.9

$7.02 ¥46.93

25.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.19

$1.34 ¥8.97

-8.96%

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

$21.3K ¥142.3K

$19.4K ¥129.9K

9.55%

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

$16.2K ¥108.3K

$18.1K ¥121.4K

-10.77%

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

$84.5 ¥565

$65.1 ¥435

29.83%

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

$7.92 ¥53.0

$10.25 ¥68.5

-22.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.69 ¥105

$16.17 ¥108

-2.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ¥477

$48.78 ¥326

46.31%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 ¥159

$17.24 ¥115

38.23%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 ¥35.50

$7.51 ¥50.2

-29.29%

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

$457 ¥3,054

$538 ¥3,596

-15.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ¥155.8K

$24.3K ¥162.2K

-3.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.21 ¥282

$54.9 ¥367

-23.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.76 ¥125

$40.04 ¥268

-53.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 ¥415

$72.4 ¥484

-14.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 ¥614

$93.4 ¥624

-1.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ¥2,031

$768 ¥5,135

-60.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 ¥1,061

$486 ¥3,248

-67.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥3,982

$1,982 ¥13.3K

-69.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ¥2,279

$869 ¥5,813

-60.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,329 ¥28.9K

$13.8K ¥92.0K

-68.55%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,864 ¥12.5K

$6,098 ¥40.8K

-69.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$802 ¥5,362

$1,736 ¥11.6K

-53.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.35

14.33%

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

Last update for Foshan: October 11, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Foshan

$220 28.4%

Shenzhen

$251 22.1% 14% $31

Accommodation & Living

Foshan

$159 20.4%

Shenzhen

$486 42.7% 206% $327

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Foshan

$108 13.9%

Shenzhen

$92 8% 15.4% $17

Clothing & Footwear

Foshan

$97 12.4%

Shenzhen

$117 10.3% 21.4% $21

Eating Out

Foshan

$96 12.3%

Shenzhen

$100 8.8% 4.4% $4.2

Sport & Entertainment

Foshan

$82 10.6%

Shenzhen

$64 5.6% 22.2% $18

Getting Around

Foshan

$16 2%

Shenzhen

$28 2.5% 79.1% $12

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Foshan and $768 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 116% 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 Foshan vs $29.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $251 per month, with Foshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Foshan

🇨🇳 Shenzhen

🕒 Local time

09:13 9:13 AM

Same time as Foshan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,498,863

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

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Foshan Shenzhen 110 km

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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

Foshan vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foshan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 116% 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: $304 in Foshan versus $768 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Foshan runs roughly 110% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Foshan versus $538 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $777 in Foshan versus $1,138 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foshan but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Foshan 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 Foshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.