Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Bozhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Bozhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $684 in Bozhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,102 in Bozhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,521 in Bozhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 51% more expensive than in Bozhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Bozhou 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$1.42 ¥9.58

120.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$20.63 ¥139

33.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$4.64 ¥31.35

4.96%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$3.17 ¥21.40

4.73%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.39 ¥2.61

23.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.81

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$1.09 ¥7.39

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$1.66 ¥11.18

66.87%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$1.15 ¥7.77

52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.55 ¥10.48

27.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.90 ¥6.06

31.11%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.61 ¥10.90

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$13.05 ¥88.2

-2.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$3.24 ¥21.89

21.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$10.31 ¥69.7

29.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$1.77 ¥11.99

5.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.26 ¥8.49

15.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$1.41 ¥9.50

29.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$1.14 ¥7.68

21.93%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.67 ¥4.52

62.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$0.89 ¥6.04

59.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.59 ¥4.02

27.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.54 ¥3.67

5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$3.15 ¥21.27

7.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$9.53 ¥64.4

32.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.74 ¥5.02

25.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.58 ¥10.66

20.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.29 ¥1.96

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$16.81 ¥114

32.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$0.95 ¥6.40

77.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

$0.35 ¥2.36

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$6.72 ¥45.39

0.45%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.17 ¥7.87

-2.56%

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

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$19.1K ¥129.2K

18.71%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$16.8K ¥113.3K

23.28%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$46.48 ¥314

40.58%

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

$8.39 ¥56.7

$9.67 ¥65.4

-13.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$6.77 ¥45.72

93.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$42.17 ¥285

20.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$13.73 ¥92.8

28.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$6.17 ¥41.71

14.75%

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

$467 ¥3,154

$341 ¥2,307

36.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$16.9K ¥114.0K

22.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$42.76 ¥289

13.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$30.86 ¥209

-1.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$72.3 ¥489

3.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$73.1 ¥494

8.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$281 ¥1,901

160.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$187 ¥1,263

119.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$581 ¥3,927

192.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$361 ¥2,442

151.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$3,285 ¥22.2K

293.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$1,848 ¥12.5K

224.71%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$748 ¥5,054

129.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.87

4.39%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Bozhou: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $281 in Bozhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 130% 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: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $21.00 in Bozhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $190 per month, with Bozhou 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 Bozhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bozhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 130% 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: $732 in Shenzhen versus $281 in Bozhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bozhou – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,032 per month in Shenzhen versus $684 in Bozhou – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $684 in Bozhou versus $1,032 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bozhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Bozhou 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 Bozhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.