Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Ankang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Ankang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $658 in Ankang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,041 in Ankang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,424 in Ankang, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 58% more than Ankang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Ankang are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Ankang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.19

$2.84 ¥19.22

10.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$18.21 ¥123

51.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.28

$5.52 ¥37.41

-8.33%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.53

$2.24 ¥15.18

48.66%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.42 ¥2.87

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.90

$0.28 ¥1.91

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$1.08 ¥7.30

12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.15

$1.72 ¥11.65

64.53%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.73

$1.55 ¥10.48

11.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$1.57 ¥10.64

25.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.85 ¥5.76

44.71%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.11

$1.61 ¥10.90

20.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.4

$7.13 ¥48.31

78.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.45

$2.06 ¥13.94

96.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$8.85 ¥59.9

52.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.70

$1.58 ¥10.73

18.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.14 ¥7.70

23.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.33 ¥9.01

36.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$0.76 ¥5.16

76.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.70 ¥4.75

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.92

$0.60 ¥4.06

143.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.54 ¥3.68

31.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.56 ¥3.80

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.90

$2.78 ¥18.80

21.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.5

$7.59 ¥51.4

70.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.77 ¥5.19

22.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.66

$1.70 ¥11.54

10.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.29 ¥1.97

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.74 ¥113

29.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.03

$1.40 ¥9.46

16.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.36 ¥2.41

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.52

$4.13 ¥28.00

69.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.19 ¥8.06

-0.84%

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

$22.9K ¥155.0K

$20.9K ¥141.6K

9.47%

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

$20.7K ¥140.4K

$16.5K ¥111.6K

25.83%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$46.38 ¥314

40.86%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$3.10 ¥20.98

164.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.4

$12.11 ¥82.0

7.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$41.20 ¥279

21.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$14.10 ¥95.5

23.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.49

$4.95 ¥33.51

38.59%

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

$457 ¥3,094

$340 ¥2,306

34.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.2K

$17.9K ¥121.0K

16.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥334

$54.6 ¥370

-9.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$36.64 ¥248

-16.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥503

$69.1 ¥468

7.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$71.6 ¥485

11.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,990

$279 ¥1,887

164.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,785

$190 ¥1,286

116.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.5K

$594 ¥4,022

184.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,116

$356 ¥2,410

153.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$3,246 ¥22.0K

304.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,757 ¥11.9K

254.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.32

-6.48%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Ankang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $279 in Ankang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $18.00 in Ankang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $158 – making Ankang 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

Shenzhen vs Ankang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 58%, 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 $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $988 in Ankang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 30% less in Ankang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $457 per month in Shenzhen and $340 in Ankang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ankang, where all-in costs run around $658, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Ankang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Ankang – 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 Ankang. 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.