Cost of Living Comparison Between Quanzhou and Shenzhen Cost of Living Comparison Between Quanzhou and Shenzhen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $774 in Quanzhou versus $1,017 in Shenzhen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,142 in Quanzhou versus $1,653 in Shenzhen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,510 in Quanzhou versus $2,289 in Shenzhen.

Living in Quanzhou costs roughly 24% less than in Shenzhen, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Quanzhou 42% lower, Shenzhen 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.14 ¥14.49

$3.24 ¥21.86

-33.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.42 ¥158

$27.75 ¥187

-15.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.74

$5.15 ¥34.75

11.46%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ¥18.32

$3.21 ¥21.70

-15.58%

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

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.49 ¥3.28

4.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.30 ¥2.03

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.28 ¥8.67

10.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.98 ¥20.13

$2.82 ¥19.06

5.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.35 ¥9.13

$1.79 ¥12.12

-24.58%

White Bread (500g)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$2.01 ¥13.54

-63.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.19

$1.18 ¥7.98

-34.75%

Eggs

$1.13 ¥7.65

$1.92 ¥12.95

-41.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.35 ¥76.7

$12.60 ¥85.1

-9.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.27 ¥15.35

$3.84 ¥25.94

-40.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.99 ¥74.3

$13.47 ¥91.0

-18.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.48 ¥16.73

$1.79 ¥12.11

38.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.46 ¥9.89

-21.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.06

$1.75 ¥11.80

-14.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.93 ¥13.01

$1.40 ¥9.47

37.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.55

$1.06 ¥7.14

-8.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.42 ¥9.60

21.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.81 ¥5.45

$0.74 ¥4.98

9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.68

$0.56 ¥3.80

-3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.87 ¥19.39

$3.57 ¥24.12

-19.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.22 ¥48.78

$12.23 ¥82.6

-40.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.35

$0.87 ¥5.85

-9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.67

$1.90 ¥12.82

-16.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.96

$0.40 ¥2.71

-27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.49 ¥226

$22.39 ¥151

49.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$1.64 ¥11.06

-31.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.74

$0.38 ¥2.55

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.48 ¥43.80

$6.98 ¥47.13

-7.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.84

$1.17 ¥7.93

-0.85%

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

$15.5K ¥104.4K

$23.0K ¥155.6K

-32.88%

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

$14.0K ¥94.2K

$20.6K ¥139.3K

-32.34%

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

$38.59 ¥261

$65.5 ¥442

-41.06%

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

$4.16 ¥28.10

$8.42 ¥56.9

-50.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.41 ¥77.0

$12.94 ¥87.4

-11.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.61 ¥281

$50.1 ¥338

-16.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$28.00 ¥189

$17.73 ¥120

57.92%

Cinema Ticket

$5.55 ¥37.48

$6.85 ¥46.27

-18.98%

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

$116 ¥781

$452 ¥3,055

-74.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K ¥108.1K

$20.6K ¥139.2K

-22.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.38 ¥192

$49.37 ¥333

-42.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.83 ¥181

$30.72 ¥207

-12.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$83.3 ¥562

$76.8 ¥519

8.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.9 ¥547

$79.5 ¥537

1.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$239 ¥1,614

$728 ¥4,919

-67.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 ¥1,714

$414 ¥2,793

-38.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$421 ¥2,844

$1,661 ¥11.2K

-74.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,036

$900 ¥6,079

-66.50%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,980 ¥20.1K

$12.3K ¥83.3K

-75.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,994 ¥13.5K

$6,024 ¥40.7K

-66.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$814 ¥5,496

$1,740 ¥11.8K

-53.24%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.56

4.04

-11.88%

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

Last update for Quanzhou: July 27, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $239 in Quanzhou and $728 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 114% 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: $23.00 in Quanzhou vs $28.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $179 vs $228 per month, with Quanzhou 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

Quanzhou vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Quanzhou and Shenzhen differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($774 vs $1,017 including rent). Quanzhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 114% lower in Shenzhen. 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: $239 in Quanzhou versus $728 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Quanzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $774 per month in Quanzhou versus $1,017 in Shenzhen – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Quanzhou versus $1,017 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quanzhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Quanzhou 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 Quanzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.