Cost of Living Comparison Between Lanzhou and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Lanzhou and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $659 in Lanzhou versus $1,037 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,033 in Lanzhou versus $1,659 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,408 in Lanzhou versus $2,280 in Shenzhen.

Living in Lanzhou costs roughly 37% less than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lanzhou 51% lower, Shenzhen 23% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ¥13.96

$3.13 ¥21.19

-34.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.81 ¥141

$27.51 ¥186

-24.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.26 ¥42.41

$5.06 ¥34.28

23.72%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥20.53

$3.33 ¥22.53

-9.01%

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

$0.44 ¥2.96

$0.48 ¥3.25

-8.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.28 ¥1.90

-3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.53 ¥3.61

$1.22 ¥8.29

-56.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.24

$2.83 ¥19.15

-41.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.54 ¥10.42

$1.73 ¥11.73

-10.98%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.92

$1.97 ¥13.36

-18.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$1.23 ¥8.35

-23.58%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.58

$1.94 ¥13.11

-4.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥87.9

$12.76 ¥86.4

1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.02 ¥20.46

$4.05 ¥27.45

-25.43%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.05 ¥61.3

$13.47 ¥91.2

-32.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.88 ¥12.70

-3.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.65

$1.41 ¥9.54

0.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.43

$1.82 ¥12.33

-31.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.61

$1.34 ¥9.09

-26.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.49 ¥3.30

$1.05 ¥7.10

-53.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.48

$1.46 ¥9.92

-44.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.71 ¥4.78

-35.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.78

$0.57 ¥3.83

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ¥21.75

$3.38 ¥22.90

-5.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.95 ¥74.2

$12.92 ¥87.5

-15.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.37

$0.94 ¥6.39

-15.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.88

$1.87 ¥12.66

-13.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.40 ¥2.72

-27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.89 ¥114

$21.76 ¥147

-22.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.63 ¥11.03

-13.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.16 ¥1.09

$0.35 ¥2.36

-54.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.58 ¥17.46

$7.02 ¥47.52

-63.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.39 ¥9.38

$1.18 ¥7.99

17.80%

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

$19.1K ¥129.1K

$22.9K ¥155.0K

-16.74%

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

$16.6K ¥112.2K

$20.7K ¥140.4K

-20.09%

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

$43.84 ¥297

$65.3 ¥442

-32.89%

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

$9.54 ¥64.6

$8.20 ¥55.5

16.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.73 ¥79.5

$13.05 ¥88.4

-10.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.25 ¥279

$50.3 ¥340

-17.93%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.06 ¥95.2

$17.39 ¥118

-19.15%

Cinema Ticket

$6.40 ¥43.31

$6.86 ¥46.49

-6.71%

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

$342 ¥2,313

$457 ¥3,094

-25.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.3K ¥191.9K

$20.8K ¥141.2K

35.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.88 ¥297

$49.25 ¥334

-10.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.63 ¥207

$30.67 ¥208

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$74.2 ¥503

-2.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$42.51 ¥288

$80.2 ¥543

-46.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,855

$737 ¥4,990

-62.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 ¥1,064

$411 ¥2,785

-61.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$600 ¥4,063

$1,692 ¥11.5K

-64.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$279 ¥1,890

$903 ¥6,116

-69.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,698 ¥18.3K

$13.1K ¥89.0K

-79.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,659 ¥11.2K

$6,222 ¥42.1K

-73.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$924 ¥6,257

$1,665 ¥11.3K

-44.53%

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 Lanzhou: May 31, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Lanzhou and $737 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 80% 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: $21.00 in Lanzhou vs $28.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $230 per month, with Lanzhou 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

Lanzhou vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lanzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Shenzhen earns 80% 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: $274 in Lanzhou versus $737 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $342 in Lanzhou versus $457 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 20% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $659 in Lanzhou versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lanzhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Lanzhou 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 Lanzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.