Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Beihai Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Beihai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,140 per month in Shenzhen vs $723 in Beihai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,759 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,178 in Beihai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,378 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,633 in Beihai, rent included.

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

Both Shenzhen and Beihai are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 17% lower, Beihai 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 ¥27.11

$2.92 ¥19.58

38.70%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 ¥201

$22.44 ¥150

33.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.27

$5.28 ¥35.33

-3.03%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.78

$2.78 ¥18.61

22.30%

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

$0.54 ¥3.61

$0.46 ¥3.07

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.31 ¥2.08

12.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ¥10.11

$1.02 ¥6.81

48.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥14.69

$2.02 ¥13.56

8.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.54

$1.81 ¥12.13

-13.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$1.71 ¥11.49

8.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$0.96 ¥6.40

26.04%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$1.65 ¥11.05

2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.16 ¥148

$13.42 ¥89.9

65.13%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ¥24.69

$3.48 ¥23.28

6.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 ¥95.4

$11.18 ¥74.9

27.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ¥15.49

$1.84 ¥12.29

25.54%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.71

$1.31 ¥8.75

22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.19

$1.61 ¥10.79

13.04%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.43

$1.24 ¥8.32

13.71%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.86

$0.75 ¥4.99

56.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 ¥10.31

$0.89 ¥5.94

73.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.91

$0.58 ¥3.88

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.58 ¥3.91

-6.90%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ¥29.43

$3.65 ¥24.44

20.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.7

$11.62 ¥77.8

8.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.85 ¥5.66

9.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥12.16

$1.61 ¥10.79

13.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.18

$0.31 ¥2.09

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 ¥148

$17.62 ¥118

25.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.85

$1.52 ¥10.21

-3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.51

$0.33 ¥2.18

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 ¥49.69

$6.95 ¥46.53

6.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.50

$1.20 ¥8.06

5.83%

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

$19.7K ¥131.8K

$19.0K ¥127.4K

3.44%

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

$18.2K ¥122.1K

$17.4K ¥116.4K

4.89%

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

$61.2 ¥410

$54.7 ¥366

11.75%

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

$10.07 ¥67.5

$8.50 ¥57.0

18.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.90 ¥99.8

$10.97 ¥73.5

35.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 ¥332

$41.41 ¥277

19.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 ¥115

$14.96 ¥100

14.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ¥51.4

$6.19 ¥41.44

23.91%

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

$524 ¥3,507

$427 ¥2,857

22.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥158.2K

$16.7K ¥112.1K

41.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 ¥331

$42.24 ¥283

17.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ¥263

$33.15 ¥222

18.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥459

$75.1 ¥503

-8.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 ¥597

$74.8 ¥501

19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 ¥5,114

$294 ¥1,966

160.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥3,168

$183 ¥1,228

158.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 ¥12.4K

$604 ¥4,048

206.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥5,777

$372 ¥2,491

131.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥90.8K

$3,205 ¥21.5K

323.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,418 ¥43.0K

$1,922 ¥12.9K

233.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

3.38

-0.30%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: September 6, 2026

Last update for Beihai: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $764 in Shenzhen versus $294 in Beihai. 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 $30.00 in Shenzhen versus $22.00 in Beihai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $211 – making Beihai 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 Beihai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen costs about 58% more than Beihai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Shenzhen and $1,085 in Beihai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% more in Shenzhen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shenzhen and $22.00 in Beihai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beihai, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Shenzhen at $1,140. In Beihai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beihai – 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 Beihai. 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.