Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,108 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,574 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,752 in Shenzhen, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,117 per month in Hangzhou vs $2,397 in Shenzhen, rent included.

Hangzhou is about 7% cheaper than Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Shenzhen are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 25% lower, Shenzhen 19% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ¥24.25

$3.68 ¥24.65

-1.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.19 ¥175

$29.95 ¥201

-12.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ¥31.04

$5.13 ¥34.35

-9.75%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥23.10

$3.26 ¥21.81

5.83%

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

$0.60 ¥4.04

$0.58 ¥3.86

3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.35 ¥2.37

-11.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ¥10.26

$1.45 ¥9.72

5.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥15.14

$2.27 ¥15.23

-0.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.55

$1.63 ¥10.91

14.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.30

$1.86 ¥12.47

-9.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.12

$1.22 ¥8.16

-13.11%

Eggs

$2.15 ¥14.38

$1.72 ¥11.55

25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.92 ¥127

$21.88 ¥147

-13.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ¥25.56

$3.60 ¥24.12

6.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 ¥68.3

$14.34 ¥96.0

-28.94%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.75

$2.25 ¥15.06

4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.07

$1.59 ¥10.63

-15.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.64

$1.88 ¥12.61

-15.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.05

$1.48 ¥9.90

1.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.17

$1.23 ¥8.23

-25.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.25

$1.48 ¥9.90

-37.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.58 ¥3.88

6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.54 ¥3.62

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ¥27.16

$4.40 ¥29.50

-7.73%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.15 ¥88.1

$12.74 ¥85.3

3.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.26

$0.98 ¥6.59

-19.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.06

$1.81 ¥12.15

-8.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.87

$0.63 ¥4.19

-7.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.70 ¥119

$22.30 ¥149

-20.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ¥13.27

$1.46 ¥9.79

35.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.37 ¥2.51

-2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.04

$7.09 ¥47.50

-0.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ¥8.63

$1.31 ¥8.77

-1.53%

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

$19.6K ¥131.4K

$19.4K ¥129.7K

1.32%

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

$18.5K ¥124.2K

$18.4K ¥123.2K

0.80%

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

$48.56 ¥325

$62.1 ¥416

-21.83%

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

$10.10 ¥67.6

$10.07 ¥67.5

0.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.39 ¥96.4

$14.91 ¥99.9

-3.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥351

$48.67 ¥326

7.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.47 ¥130

$16.94 ¥113

14.94%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.2

$7.48 ¥50.1

2.14%

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

$571 ¥3,827

$535 ¥3,581

6.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.4K ¥243.8K

$24.0K ¥160.9K

51.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ¥390

$49.75 ¥333

17.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.10 ¥282

$39.48 ¥264

6.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ¥568

$69.8 ¥467

21.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ¥742

$87.5 ¥586

26.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ¥4,160

$752 ¥5,037

-17.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ¥2,595

$465 ¥3,117

-16.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 ¥8,058

$1,819 ¥12.2K

-33.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 ¥4,311

$862 ¥5,774

-25.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,644 ¥51.2K

$13.1K ¥88.0K

-41.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,653 ¥24.5K

$6,442 ¥43.2K

-43.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,555 ¥10.4K

$1,732 ¥11.6K

-10.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.4

2.94%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 13, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Hangzhou versus $752 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 11% 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 $26.00 in Hangzhou versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $258 – making Hangzhou 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

Hangzhou vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 7%, 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 $1,547 per month in Hangzhou and $1,662 in Shenzhen. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 9% more in Shenzhen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou and $30.00 in Shenzhen. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hangzhou, where all-in costs run around $1,031, than in Shenzhen at $1,108. In Hangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hangzhou – 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 Hangzhou. 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.