Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Guangzhou (Canton)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,139 per month in Shenzhen vs $930 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,444 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $2,322 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,957 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 23% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Shenzhen and Guangzhou (Canton) are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 17% lower, Guangzhou (Canton) 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.96

$2.90 ¥19.45

38.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$29.46 ¥198

1.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.43

$5.32 ¥35.68

-0.75%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.52

$3.20 ¥21.45

5.00%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.54 ¥3.65

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.32 ¥2.17

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$1.46 ¥9.82

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.11

$2.72 ¥18.24

-17.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.94

$1.91 ¥12.83

-14.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.02

$2.07 ¥13.88

-13.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$1.05 ¥7.02

12.38%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$1.50 ¥10.06

12.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$16.59 ¥111

32.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.26

$4.98 ¥33.44

-27.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥95.0

$12.45 ¥83.6

13.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.67

$2.18 ¥14.62

0.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.21 ¥8.14

28.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.71

$1.48 ¥9.93

27.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.91

$1.73 ¥11.62

-14.45%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$1.01 ¥6.77

16.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.30

$1.20 ¥8.06

27.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.82 ¥5.50

-34.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.66 ¥4.43

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.44

$3.77 ¥25.32

20.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.9

$12.15 ¥81.6

4.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.09

$1.06 ¥7.13

-14.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.40

$2.01 ¥13.50

-7.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.13

$0.44 ¥2.94

38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥149

$20.78 ¥139

6.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$1.76 ¥11.82

-16.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.38 ¥2.55

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.68

$7.05 ¥47.28

2.84%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.37

$1.28 ¥8.62

-2.34%

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

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$19.0K ¥127.4K

0.45%

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

$18.1K ¥121.7K

$19.7K ¥132.3K

-7.99%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$58.5 ¥393

5.23%

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

$9.91 ¥66.5

$15.36 ¥103

-35.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$13.91 ¥93.3

8.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$66.5 ¥446

-25.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$12.32 ¥82.7

37.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.34

$6.49 ¥43.58

13.25%

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

$525 ¥3,521

$1,633 ¥11.0K

-67.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.3K

$25.8K ¥173.1K

-6.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$51.0 ¥342

-2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$39.28 ¥264

2.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥465

$82.0 ¥550

-15.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$76.6 ¥514

12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,151

$528 ¥3,545

45.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

$283 ¥1,897

64.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$1,369 ¥9,190

32.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,740

$477 ¥3,200

79.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.1K

$8,746 ¥58.7K

53.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.2K

$3,319 ¥22.3K

89.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$1,261 ¥8,464

33.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.45

-1.45%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $768 in Shenzhen versus $528 in Guangzhou (Canton). 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 34% 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 $30.00 in Shenzhen versus $29.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $245 – making Guangzhou (Canton) 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 Guangzhou (Canton): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen, $930 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 23% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Shenzhen and $1,395 in Guangzhou (Canton). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,139 in Shenzhen and $930 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 7% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $930, than in Shenzhen at $1,139. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guangzhou (Canton) – 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 Guangzhou (Canton). 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.