Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Anshan

For one person, living is cheaper in Anshan: $626 a month against $1,131 in Shenzhen, rent and utilities included – about $6,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Shenzhen
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Shenzhen Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Anshan
Learn more

Anshan Living Index

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Shenzhen

🇨🇳 China

$1,131

/mo nomad

Anshan

🇨🇳 China

$626

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shenzhen and in Anshan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shenzhen and in Anshan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,131 in Shenzhen versus $626 in Anshan.

Shenzhen $1,131
Anshan $626

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,741 in Shenzhen versus $1,011 in Anshan.

Shenzhen $1,741
Anshan $1,011

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,352 in Shenzhen versus $1,396 in Anshan.

Shenzhen $2,352
Anshan $1,396

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 81% more expensive than in Anshan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 ¥24.93

$2.94 ¥19.67

26.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.92 ¥200

$18.46 ¥123

62.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥35.83

$4.59 ¥30.70

16.78%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.66

$2.49 ¥16.65

36.14%

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

$0.55 ¥3.67

$0.36 ¥2.38

52.78%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.21 ¥1.40

66.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ¥9.84

$0.73 ¥4.89

101.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥14.50

$1.61 ¥10.79

34.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥10.64

$1.77 ¥11.80

-10.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ¥10.88

$1.26 ¥8.42

29.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.59

$0.39 ¥2.59

192.31%

Eggs

$1.78 ¥11.89

$1.06 ¥7.07

67.92%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.25 ¥142

$9.06 ¥60.6

134.55%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 ¥23.10

$1.83 ¥12.24

88.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 ¥98.2

$8.93 ¥59.7

64.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$1.02 ¥6.83

118.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.73

$1.17 ¥7.80

37.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.17 ¥7.83

61.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.41

$1.19 ¥7.95

18.49%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.95

$0.31 ¥2.08

235.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$0.92 ¥6.14

35.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.29 ¥1.93

93.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.05

$0.44 ¥2.92

38.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ¥29.30

$3.78 ¥25.28

15.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥78.4

$7.39 ¥49.42

58.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ¥6.53

$0.72 ¥4.79

36.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.21

$1.09 ¥7.29

67.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.29 ¥1.92

96.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.57 ¥151

$18.04 ¥121

25.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ¥10.15

$1.03 ¥6.90

47.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.14 ¥0.90

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.99 ¥46.71

$2.93 ¥19.59

138.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ¥9.02

$1.05 ¥7.05

28.57%

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

$19.8K ¥132.4K

$19.5K ¥130.4K

1.55%

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

$17.9K ¥119.8K

$15.1K ¥101.2K

18.34%

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

$62.8 ¥420

$29.47 ¥197

112.96%

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

$10.25 ¥68.5

$7.37 ¥49.28

39.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.36 ¥109

$14.66 ¥98.0

11.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.52 ¥331

$41.48 ¥277

19.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.32 ¥116

$14.78 ¥98.9

17.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.1

$5.93 ¥39.63

28.84%

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

$526 ¥3,519

$226 ¥1,514

132.45%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K ¥164.1K

$21.4K ¥143.1K

14.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ¥369

$36.77 ¥246

49.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.99 ¥267

$32.89 ¥220

21.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥484

$60.6 ¥405

19.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ¥620

$69.9 ¥468

32.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ¥5,158

$295 ¥1,971

161.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 ¥3,195

$182 ¥1,217

162.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ¥13.3K

$629 ¥4,209

215.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥5,696

$377 ¥2,518

126.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥91.2K

$3,509 ¥23.5K

288.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,013 ¥40.2K

$1,923 ¥12.9K

212.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 ¥11.7K

$926 ¥6,194

89.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

67.50%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: October 20, 2026

Last update for Anshan: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shenzhen

$478 42.3%

Anshan

$182 29.1% 61.9% $296

Groceries & Markets

Shenzhen

$251 22.2%

Anshan

$152 24.2% 39.7% $100

Clothing & Footwear

Shenzhen

$117 10.4%

Anshan

$90 14.4% 23% $27

Eating Out

Shenzhen

$102 9%

Anshan

$76 12.2% 25.1% $26

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shenzhen

$89 7.9%

Anshan

$52 8.2% 42.4% $38

Sport & Entertainment

Shenzhen

$65 5.7%

Anshan

$53 8.5% 17.7% $11

Getting Around

Shenzhen

$28 2.5%

Anshan

$21 3.3% 26.1% $7.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $771 in Shenzhen and $295 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 89% 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 $18.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $152 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shenzhen

🇨🇳 Anshan

🕒 Local time

00:57 12:57 AM

Same time as Shenzhen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,528,300

1,543,696

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Shenzhen Anshan 2,230 km ≈ 3 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Shenzhen
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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, clothing, and eating out. The 81% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 89% 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: $771 in Shenzhen versus $295 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 $18.00 versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,131 per month in Shenzhen versus $626 in Anshan – a 81% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Anshan versus $1,131 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 81% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.