Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Chenzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Chenzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,000 per month in Shenzhen vs $730 in Chenzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,640 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,161 in Chenzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,281 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,591 in Chenzhou, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 37% more than Chenzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shenzhen and Chenzhou are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 26% lower, Chenzhou 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.29 ¥22.23

$2.75 ¥18.58

19.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 ¥188

$20.50 ¥139

35.37%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥34.33

$4.82 ¥32.59

5.39%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥22.19

$1.36 ¥9.16

141.18%

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

$0.48 ¥3.23

$0.43 ¥2.89

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.25 ¥1.67

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ¥8.53

$1.13 ¥7.66

11.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.71

$1.85 ¥12.48

49.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.89

$1.99 ¥13.45

-11.56%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 ¥13.80

$2.36 ¥15.96

-13.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.32

$0.72 ¥4.84

70.83%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥12.91

$1.60 ¥10.81

19.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 ¥87.2

$15.95 ¥108

-19.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 ¥27.16

$3.20 ¥21.63

25.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 ¥93.4

$9.20 ¥62.2

50.11%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.70

$0.53 ¥3.61

254.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.96

$1.09 ¥7.37

34.86%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.69

$0.72 ¥4.89

140.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.55

$1.09 ¥7.40

29.36%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.89 ¥6.04

23.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.96

$1.43 ¥9.67

2.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.09

$0.47 ¥3.19

59.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.43 ¥2.90

41.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.84

$2.76 ¥18.65

27.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.14 ¥88.9

$12.63 ¥85.4

4.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.91 ¥6.13

2.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.42 ¥9.61

33.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.70

$0.29 ¥1.96

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.52 ¥152

$16.61 ¥112

35.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.28 ¥8.63

32.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.51

$0.26 ¥1.74

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.35

$8.27 ¥55.9

-17.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$1.17 ¥7.92

-3.42%

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

$22.8K ¥154.3K

$20.4K ¥137.9K

11.90%

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

$20.1K ¥135.6K

$21.9K ¥147.8K

-8.24%

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

$67.3 ¥455

$43.09 ¥291

56.12%

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

$8.52 ¥57.6

$12.56 ¥84.9

-32.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.10 ¥88.6

$14.54 ¥98.3

-9.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.62 ¥336

$41.27 ¥279

20.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.24 ¥117

$13.81 ¥93.4

24.84%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ¥46.35

$5.82 ¥39.36

17.70%

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

$466 ¥3,149

$315 ¥2,131

47.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.5K

$7,366 ¥49.8K

180.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.14 ¥332

$85.3 ¥577

-42.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 ¥202

$30.38 ¥205

-1.74%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ¥516

$81.3 ¥550

-6.12%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 ¥541

$69.3 ¥469

15.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ¥4,988

$283 ¥1,912

160.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 ¥2,741

$190 ¥1,282

113.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ¥11.2K

$599 ¥4,051

176.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ¥6,220

$367 ¥2,485

150.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.4K

$3,116 ¥21.1K

314.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,050 ¥40.9K

$1,844 ¥12.5K

228.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 ¥11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.89

3.86%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Chenzhou: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $738 in Shenzhen versus $283 in Chenzhou. 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $20.00 in Chenzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $207 – making Chenzhou 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 Chenzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,000 in Shenzhen, $730 in Chenzhou – roughly 37% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,500 per month in Shenzhen and $1,095 in Chenzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 36% less in Chenzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $466 per month in Shenzhen and $315 in Chenzhou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chenzhou, where all-in costs run around $730, than in Shenzhen at $1,000. In Chenzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chenzhou – 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 Chenzhou. 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.