Cost of Living Comparison Between Handan and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Handan and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $694 per month in Handan vs $1,037 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,119 per month in Handan vs $1,659 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,544 per month in Handan vs $2,280 in Shenzhen, rent included.

Handan is about 33% cheaper than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Handan and Shenzhen are more affordable than the global median – Handan 48% lower, Shenzhen 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.78 ¥12.00

$3.13 ¥21.16

-43.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.25 ¥144

$27.51 ¥186

-22.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.25 ¥28.76

$5.06 ¥34.22

-16.01%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥19.82

$3.33 ¥22.50

-12.01%

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

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.48 ¥3.25

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.28 ¥1.89

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$1.22 ¥8.28

-22.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.07 ¥14.02

$2.83 ¥19.12

-26.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.88

$1.73 ¥11.71

1.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.54 ¥10.41

$1.97 ¥13.34

-21.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.41

$1.23 ¥8.34

-22.76%

Eggs

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.94 ¥13.09

-15.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.68 ¥85.8

$12.76 ¥86.3

-0.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.18 ¥21.53

$4.05 ¥27.41

-21.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 ¥68.9

$13.47 ¥91.1

-24.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$1.88 ¥12.68

-7.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.52

$1.41 ¥9.53

-10.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.14

$1.82 ¥12.31

-25.82%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.63

$1.34 ¥9.08

-15.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.69 ¥4.64

$1.05 ¥7.09

-34.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.12

$1.46 ¥9.90

-38.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.71 ¥4.78

-15.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.57 ¥3.82

-10.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.11 ¥21.05

$3.38 ¥22.86

-7.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.84 ¥66.6

$12.92 ¥87.4

-23.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.28

$0.94 ¥6.38

-17.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.20

$1.87 ¥12.64

-11.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.40 ¥2.72

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.92 ¥114

$21.76 ¥147

-22.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ¥9.48

$1.63 ¥11.01

-14.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.35 ¥2.35

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.76 ¥45.72

$7.02 ¥47.44

-3.70%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.60

$1.18 ¥7.98

-5.08%

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

$19.1K ¥129.4K

$22.9K ¥154.8K

-16.38%

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

$16.9K ¥114.3K

$20.7K ¥140.2K

-18.43%

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

$46.54 ¥315

$65.3 ¥442

-28.76%

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

$9.60 ¥64.9

$8.20 ¥55.5

17.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.61 ¥78.5

$13.05 ¥88.2

-11.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.82 ¥283

$50.3 ¥340

-16.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.05 ¥95.0

$17.39 ¥118

-19.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.23 ¥42.13

$6.86 ¥46.41

-9.18%

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

$339 ¥2,289

$457 ¥3,089

-25.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ¥112.5K

$20.8K ¥141.0K

-20.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.64 ¥288

$49.25 ¥333

-13.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.70 ¥208

$30.67 ¥207

0.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.9 ¥479

$74.2 ¥502

-4.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.2 ¥502

$80.2 ¥542

-7.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥1,860

$737 ¥4,981

-62.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$189 ¥1,280

$411 ¥2,780

-53.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ¥4,011

$1,692 ¥11.4K

-64.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 ¥2,459

$903 ¥6,106

-59.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,065 ¥20.7K

$13.1K ¥88.9K

-76.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,803 ¥12.2K

$6,222 ¥42.1K

-71.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$749 ¥5,066

$1,665 ¥11.3K

-55.01%

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 Handan: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $275 in Handan versus $737 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 122% 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 $21.00 in Handan versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $194 vs $230 – making Handan 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

Handan vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 49%, 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 $1,042 per month in Handan and $1,556 in Shenzhen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Handan, 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 $21.00 in Handan 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 $694 in Handan and $1,037 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 Handan, where all-in costs run around $694, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Handan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Handan – 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 Handan. 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.