Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Chaozhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Chaozhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $629 in Chaozhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,019 in Chaozhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,409 in Chaozhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 65% more expensive than Chaozhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Chaozhou 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$2.12 ¥14.35

47.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$22.60 ¥153

21.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$3.28 ¥22.18

54.27%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.51

$1.41 ¥9.54

136.17%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.50 ¥3.41

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.29 ¥1.98

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.14 ¥7.69

7.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.13

$2.71 ¥18.34

4.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$1.79 ¥12.14

-3.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$1.42 ¥9.58

38.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.34

$0.71 ¥4.84

73.24%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.09

$1.06 ¥7.20

83.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$9.08 ¥61.4

40.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.42

$2.38 ¥16.09

70.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$11.29 ¥76.4

19.31%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$2.04 ¥13.79

-7.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$0.81 ¥5.51

74.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$0.82 ¥5.53

121.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$1.63 ¥11.02

-17.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$0.58 ¥3.89

81.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.40 ¥2.73

265.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.41 ¥2.77

73.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.27 ¥1.82

111.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.87

$2.73 ¥18.45

23.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$11.00 ¥74.5

17.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$0.73 ¥4.96

28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.10 ¥7.42

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.82

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.39 ¥111

32.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$0.87 ¥5.86

87.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.26 ¥1.75

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.47

$6.87 ¥46.47

2.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.10 ¥7.44

7.27%

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

$22.9K ¥154.8K

$16.3K ¥110.2K

40.49%

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

$20.7K ¥140.2K

$17.6K ¥118.7K

18.12%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$38.80 ¥262

68.38%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$3.96 ¥26.82

107.07%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.36 ¥76.8

14.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$41.28 ¥279

21.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.75 ¥93.0

26.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.44

$5.81 ¥39.27

18.07%

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

$457 ¥3,090

$453 ¥3,065

0.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.0K

$17.1K ¥115.8K

21.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$12.44 ¥84.2

295.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$26.27 ¥178

16.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$85.0 ¥575

-12.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$56.4 ¥381

42.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,984

$273 ¥1,847

169.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$187 ¥1,268

119.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$596 ¥4,031

183.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,109

$361 ¥2,443

150.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$3,608 ¥24.4K

264.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,795 ¥12.1K

246.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$477 ¥3,226

249.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.56

13.48%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Chaozhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $273 in Chaozhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 249% 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 $23.00 in Chaozhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $174 per month, with Chaozhou 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 Chaozhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Chaozhou differ by about 65% in total monthly costs ($1,037 vs $629 including rent). Chaozhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shenzhen pays 249% more on average, 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $273 in Chaozhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Shenzhen versus $453 in Chaozhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 32% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $629 in Chaozhou versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Chaozhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Chaozhou 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 Chaozhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.