Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Anshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Anshan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $632 in Anshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $1,013 in Anshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,394 in Anshan.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 80% more expensive than in Anshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Anshan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.92

$2.92 ¥19.57

37.67%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$18.73 ¥125

59.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.38

$4.44 ¥29.76

18.92%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.49

$2.45 ¥16.43

37.14%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.39 ¥2.60

38.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.23 ¥1.54

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$0.71 ¥4.73

105.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.09

$1.67 ¥11.21

34.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.80 ¥12.06

-9.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$1.25 ¥8.35

43.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.88

$0.36 ¥2.39

227.78%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.01 ¥6.75

67.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$9.00 ¥60.3

144.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.23

$1.83 ¥12.28

97.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥94.9

$8.95 ¥60.0

58.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.65

$1.01 ¥6.80

116.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$1.20 ¥8.06

29.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.18 ¥7.90

60.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.89

$1.22 ¥8.16

21.31%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.94

$0.29 ¥1.93

306.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.28

$0.91 ¥6.12

68.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.31 ¥2.09

74.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.43 ¥2.90

34.88%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.40

$3.79 ¥25.41

19.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.8

$7.24 ¥48.49

74.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$0.71 ¥4.73

28.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$1.09 ¥7.33

69.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.29 ¥1.94

110.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

$17.86 ¥120

24.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.02 ¥6.84

44.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.14 ¥0.91

185.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.62

$2.94 ¥19.71

146.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.09 ¥7.28

14.68%

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

$19.1K ¥127.8K

$19.2K ¥128.5K

-0.53%

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

$18.1K ¥121.5K

$15.1K ¥101.0K

20.33%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$29.95 ¥201

105.54%

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

$9.91 ¥66.4

$7.31 ¥49.00

35.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$14.91 ¥100.0

1.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$41.96 ¥281

18.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$14.55 ¥97.5

16.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.27

$6.12 ¥41.04

20.10%

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

$525 ¥3,516

$223 ¥1,495

135.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.1K

$22.0K ¥147.2K

9.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$37.50 ¥251

33.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$37.64 ¥252

6.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$58.6 ¥392

18.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$70.3 ¥471

22.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,144

$286 ¥1,916

168.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

$182 ¥1,216

156.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$590 ¥3,954

208.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,732

$377 ¥2,528

126.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.0K

$3,101 ¥20.8K

333.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.1K

$1,906 ¥12.8K

229.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$925 ¥6,200

82.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

70.00%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Anshan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $286 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 82% 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: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $19.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $151 per month, with Anshan 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

Shenzhen vs Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 80% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 82% higher in Shenzhen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $768 in Shenzhen versus $286 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,139 per month in Shenzhen versus $632 in Anshan – a 80% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $632 in Anshan versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan 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 Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 80% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.