Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Foshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Foshan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $735 in Foshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,180 in Foshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,625 in Foshan.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 40% more expensive than in Foshan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Foshan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$3.11 ¥21.00

0.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$22.61 ¥153

22.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$4.94 ¥33.37

-1.42%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$3.10 ¥20.97

7.10%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.50 ¥3.35

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.30 ¥2.05

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$1.09 ¥7.37

11.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$1.64 ¥11.09

68.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$1.74 ¥11.78

0.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$2.02 ¥13.68

-2.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$1.24 ¥8.38

-4.84%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.88 ¥12.67

2.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$13.04 ¥88.1

-2.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$4.06 ¥27.40

-3.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$13.55 ¥91.6

-1.25%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$1.82 ¥12.31

2.75%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.22 ¥8.21

19.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$1.74 ¥11.77

4.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$1.39 ¥9.40

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$1.01 ¥6.81

7.92%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$1.06 ¥7.15

33.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.74 ¥4.99

1.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.56 ¥3.79

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$3.38 ¥22.82

0.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$10.34 ¥69.9

21.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.97 ¥6.58

-4.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.43 ¥9.69

32.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.29 ¥1.98

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$11.21 ¥75.7

98.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.69 ¥11.42

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$6.67 ¥45.06

1.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.17 ¥7.92

-2.56%

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

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$20.9K ¥141.0K

8.81%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$19.7K ¥133.1K

5.00%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$65.4 ¥442

-0.12%

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

$8.39 ¥56.7

$10.19 ¥68.8

-17.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$13.17 ¥89.0

-0.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$67.9 ¥459

-25.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$19.83 ¥134

-11.25%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$6.39 ¥43.20

10.80%

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

$467 ¥3,154

$415 ¥2,802

12.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$18.4K ¥124.6K

12.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$43.07 ¥291

12.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$28.15 ¥190

7.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$70.0 ¥473

6.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$78.8 ¥533

0.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$281 ¥1,896

160.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$141 ¥956

190.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$572 ¥3,866

196.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$309 ¥2,090

194.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$4,243 ¥28.7K

204.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$1,850 ¥12.5K

224.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$811 ¥5,478

112.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Foshan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Shenzhen pays 112% 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 Foshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $224 per month, with Foshan 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 Foshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around. The 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 112% 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 Foshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Foshan runs roughly 98% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $467 in Shenzhen versus $415 in Foshan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $735 in Foshan versus $1,032 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foshan but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Foshan 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 Foshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.