Cost of Living Comparison Between Guilin and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Guilin and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $682 per month in Guilin vs $1,032 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,074 per month in Guilin vs $1,649 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,466 per month in Guilin vs $2,266 in Shenzhen, rent included.

Guilin is about 34% cheaper than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Guilin and Shenzhen are more affordable than the global median – Guilin 49% lower, Shenzhen 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.06 ¥27.45

$3.13 ¥21.13

29.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.54 ¥125

$27.60 ¥187

-32.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.47 ¥23.43

$4.87 ¥32.92

-28.75%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ¥18.34

$3.32 ¥22.43

-18.37%

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

$0.75 ¥5.05

$0.48 ¥3.27

56.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.80

$0.28 ¥1.89

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.01 ¥6.85

$1.21 ¥8.21

-16.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.52

$2.77 ¥18.73

-22.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$1.75 ¥11.81

-18.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$1.97 ¥13.31

-30.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.58 ¥3.94

$1.18 ¥7.96

-50.85%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.59

$1.92 ¥12.94

-10.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.77 ¥86.3

$12.69 ¥85.8

0.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.58

$3.93 ¥26.56

-18.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.31 ¥56.2

$13.38 ¥90.4

-37.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.08

$1.87 ¥12.61

-4.28%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.24

$1.46 ¥9.89

-16.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.48

$1.82 ¥12.27

-23.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.63

$1.39 ¥9.42

-18.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.59

$1.09 ¥7.39

-37.61%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.20

$1.42 ¥9.59

-35.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.75 ¥5.04

-20.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.40

$0.57 ¥3.84

66.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.09 ¥20.90

$3.39 ¥22.91

-8.85%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.55 ¥71.3

$12.61 ¥85.2

-16.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥6.07

$0.93 ¥6.26

-3.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.90 ¥12.86

-15.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.44 ¥2.97

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.85 ¥114

$22.23 ¥150

-24.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.96 ¥6.47

$1.69 ¥11.39

-43.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.06

$0.37 ¥2.53

-16.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.88

$6.75 ¥45.58

0.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$1.14 ¥7.70

-0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥131.9K

$22.7K ¥153.4K

-14.06%

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

$16.7K ¥112.7K

$20.7K ¥139.7K

-19.38%

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

$27.90 ¥189

$65.3 ¥442

-57.30%

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

$4.73 ¥31.94

$8.39 ¥56.7

-43.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.51 ¥77.8

$13.08 ¥88.4

-12.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.41 ¥280

$50.9 ¥344

-18.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.07 ¥95.1

$17.60 ¥119

-20.06%

Cinema Ticket

$4.11 ¥27.79

$7.08 ¥47.82

-41.95%

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

$338 ¥2,281

$467 ¥3,154

-27.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.1K ¥115.3K

$20.7K ¥139.8K

-17.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.66 ¥295

$48.53 ¥328

-10.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.31 ¥205

$30.27 ¥205

0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥488

$74.7 ¥505

-3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.5 ¥510

$79.3 ¥536

-4.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥1,858

$732 ¥4,945

-62.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ¥1,288

$410 ¥2,773

-53.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ¥4,009

$1,699 ¥11.5K

-65.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ¥2,426

$910 ¥6,148

-60.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,338 ¥9,039

$12.9K ¥87.3K

-89.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,856 ¥12.5K

$6,000 ¥40.5K

-69.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$487 ¥3,291

$1,720 ¥11.6K

-71.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

4.04

-4.21%

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

Last update for Guilin: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $275 in Guilin versus $732 in Shenzhen. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 253% higher in Shenzhen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Guilin versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $229 – making Guilin 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

Guilin vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 51%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,023 per month in Guilin and $1,549 in Shenzhen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $19.00 in Guilin and $28.00 in Shenzhen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $682 in Guilin and $1,032 in Shenzhen. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guilin, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Shenzhen at $1,032. In Guilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guilin – 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 Guilin. 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.