Cost of Living Comparison Between Hefei and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Hefei and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $735 in Hefei versus $1,037 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Hefei versus $1,659 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,634 in Hefei versus $2,280 in Shenzhen.

Living in Hefei costs roughly 29% less than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hefei 45% lower, Shenzhen 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 ¥23.27

$3.13 ¥21.16

9.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.83 ¥114

$27.51 ¥186

-38.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 ¥28.05

$5.06 ¥34.22

-17.98%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ¥15.87

$3.33 ¥22.50

-29.43%

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

$0.47 ¥3.19

$0.48 ¥3.25

-2.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.55

$0.28 ¥1.89

-17.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ¥5.58

$1.22 ¥8.28

-32.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥14.27

$2.83 ¥19.12

-25.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥11.41

$1.73 ¥11.71

-2.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.90

$1.97 ¥13.34

-18.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.10

$1.23 ¥8.34

-2.44%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥12.91

$1.94 ¥13.09

-1.55%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 ¥58.2

$12.76 ¥86.3

-32.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ¥27.54

$4.05 ¥27.41

0.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 ¥67.1

$13.47 ¥91.1

-26.35%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$1.88 ¥12.68

-4.26%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.57

$1.41 ¥9.53

-41.84%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.62

$1.82 ¥12.31

-29.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$1.34 ¥9.08

-38.06%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.08

$1.05 ¥7.09

-42.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ¥3.29

$1.46 ¥9.90

-66.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$0.71 ¥4.78

-25.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.57 ¥3.82

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥18.99

$3.38 ¥22.86

-16.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥64.2

$12.92 ¥87.4

-26.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.86

$0.94 ¥6.38

-23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.12

$1.87 ¥12.64

-12.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.40 ¥2.72

-17.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.14 ¥278

$21.76 ¥147

89.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ¥9.07

$1.63 ¥11.01

-17.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.73

$0.35 ¥2.35

-25.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ¥17.19

$7.02 ¥47.44

-63.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.81

$1.18 ¥7.98

-2.54%

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

$19.6K ¥132.2K

$22.9K ¥154.8K

-14.56%

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

$19.2K ¥129.6K

$20.7K ¥140.2K

-7.56%

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

$40.99 ¥277

$65.3 ¥442

-37.26%

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

$12.86 ¥87.0

$8.20 ¥55.5

56.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.70 ¥92.6

$13.05 ¥88.2

4.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.8 ¥560

$50.3 ¥340

64.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.49 ¥84.5

$17.39 ¥118

-28.18%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 ¥39.29

$6.86 ¥46.41

-15.31%

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

$257 ¥1,741

$457 ¥3,089

-43.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 ¥60.3K

$20.8K ¥141.0K

-57.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ¥391

$49.25 ¥333

17.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.23 ¥204

$30.67 ¥207

-1.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ¥412

$74.2 ¥502

-17.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥504

$80.2 ¥542

-7.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 ¥1,545

$737 ¥4,981

-68.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ¥1,218

$411 ¥2,780

-56.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ¥3,273

$1,692 ¥11.4K

-71.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,476

$903 ¥6,106

-59.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,744 ¥25.3K

$13.1K ¥88.9K

-71.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 ¥13.8K

$6,222 ¥42.1K

-67.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$962 ¥6,505

$1,665 ¥11.3K

-42.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

4.04

8.17%

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

Last update for Hefei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Hefei and $737 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 73% 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: $17.00 in Hefei vs $28.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $230 per month, with Hefei cheaper across the board.

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

Hefei vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hefei wins on cost – living expenses run 41% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hefei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Shenzhen earns 73% less. 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: $229 in Hefei versus $737 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hefei – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $735 per month in Hefei versus $1,037 in Shenzhen – a 41% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $735 in Hefei versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hefei but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Hefei 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 Hefei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 41% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.