Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Benxi Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Benxi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,006 per month in Shenzhen vs $656 in Benxi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,658 per month in Shenzhen vs $938 in Benxi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,311 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,221 in Benxi, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 53% more than Benxi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Benxi are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 25% lower, Benxi 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.28 ¥22.48

$2.77 ¥18.99

18.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.26 ¥194

$20.51 ¥140

37.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.14 ¥35.19

$4.94 ¥33.82

4.05%

Cappuccino

$3.22 ¥22.06

$2.59 ¥17.71

24.32%

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

$0.52 ¥3.53

$0.45 ¥3.12

15.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.29 ¥1.99

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ¥8.74

$0.71 ¥4.88

80.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.80 ¥19.21

$1.65 ¥11.32

69.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.98

$1.70 ¥11.65

2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.38

$1.14 ¥7.78

71.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.50

$0.79 ¥5.43

56.96%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.78

$1.11 ¥7.58

68.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.87 ¥88.2

$9.16 ¥62.8

40.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.97 ¥27.20

$2.79 ¥19.10

42.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.75 ¥94.2

$8.19 ¥56.1

67.89%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.74

$1.40 ¥9.62

32.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥10.03

$1.28 ¥8.80

14.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.97

$1.54 ¥10.56

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.61

$1.22 ¥8.33

14.75%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.28

$0.58 ¥3.97

82.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.63

$1.77 ¥12.11

-20.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.17

$1.17 ¥8.01

-35.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.87

$0.60 ¥4.11

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥23.54

$2.76 ¥18.91

24.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.25 ¥97.6

$8.16 ¥55.9

74.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.38

$0.58 ¥3.99

60.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.93 ¥13.24

$0.91 ¥6.20

112.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.99

$0.27 ¥1.85

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.51 ¥154

$11.27 ¥77.2

99.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.13

$0.82 ¥5.62

98.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.26 ¥1.77

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 ¥46.63

$3.53 ¥24.15

92.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.96

$1.06 ¥7.23

9.43%

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

$23.4K ¥160.5K

$17.9K ¥122.5K

31.01%

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

$20.1K ¥137.5K

$16.5K ¥112.7K

21.93%

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

$67.6 ¥463

$51.8 ¥355

30.43%

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

$8.39 ¥57.4

$6.24 ¥42.71

34.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.11 ¥89.8

$9.89 ¥67.8

32.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.79 ¥341

$62.7 ¥429

-20.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.43 ¥119

$7.59 ¥52.0

129.64%

Cinema Ticket

$7.09 ¥48.56

$4.94 ¥33.82

43.52%

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

$464 ¥3,179

$413 ¥2,828

12.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥142.3K

$8,426 ¥57.7K

146.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.32 ¥338

$27.40 ¥188

80.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.89 ¥205

$30.53 ¥209

-2.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.6 ¥511

$55.9 ¥383

33.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.7 ¥546

$48.57 ¥333

64.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$726 ¥4,974

$127 ¥868

472.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,806

$190 ¥1,302

115.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,673 ¥11.5K

$246 ¥1,686

579.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,185

$139 ¥952

549.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.5K

$3,056 ¥20.9K

327.41%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,063 ¥41.5K

$2,002 ¥13.7K

202.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,687 ¥11.6K

$438 ¥3,002

284.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

1.00%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: April 25, 2026

Last update for Benxi: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $726 in Shenzhen versus $127 in Benxi. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 285% higher in Shenzhen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $21.00 in Benxi. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $167 – making Benxi 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 Benxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen costs about 53% more than Benxi, 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 $1,508 per month in Shenzhen and $983 in Benxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $464 per month in Shenzhen and $413 in Benxi. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Benxi, where all-in costs run around $656, than in Shenzhen at $1,006. In Benxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Benxi – 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 Benxi. 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.