Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Guilin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Guilin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $669 in Guilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,081 in Guilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,493 in Guilin, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 55% more than Guilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Guilin are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Guilin 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$4.14 ¥27.98

-24.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$18.72 ¥127

46.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$3.42 ¥23.15

47.95%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.51

$2.72 ¥18.38

22.43%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.69 ¥4.69

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.82

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.02 ¥6.91

19.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.13

$2.04 ¥13.82

38.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$1.37 ¥9.27

26.28%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$1.43 ¥9.68

37.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.34

$0.63 ¥4.25

95.24%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.09

$1.69 ¥11.43

14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$12.92 ¥87.4

-1.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.42

$3.19 ¥21.58

26.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$8.14 ¥55.0

65.48%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.77 ¥11.98

6.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.22 ¥8.24

15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$1.37 ¥9.27

32.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$1.08 ¥7.31

24.07%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$0.72 ¥4.89

45.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.96 ¥6.51

52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.59 ¥4.01

20.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.94 ¥6.37

-39.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.87

$3.11 ¥21.04

8.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$11.42 ¥77.2

13.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$0.87 ¥5.92

8.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.59 ¥10.78

17.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.81

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.49 ¥112

31.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$0.93 ¥6.29

75.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.31 ¥2.08

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.47

$6.74 ¥45.57

4.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.13 ¥7.62

4.42%

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

$22.9K ¥154.8K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

19.27%

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

$20.7K ¥140.2K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

22.63%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$27.83 ¥188

134.75%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$4.97 ¥33.63

64.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.52 ¥77.9

13.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$42.22 ¥286

19.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.74 ¥92.9

26.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.44

$4.08 ¥27.57

68.14%

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

$457 ¥3,090

$340 ¥2,298

34.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.0K

$17.0K ¥115.1K

22.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$43.10 ¥292

14.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$30.82 ¥209

-0.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$72.7 ¥492

2.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$74.1 ¥501

8.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,984

$279 ¥1,886

164.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$191 ¥1,290

115.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$582 ¥3,936

190.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,109

$355 ¥2,399

154.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$1,329 ¥8,988

889.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,715 ¥11.6K

262.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$479 ¥3,240

247.72%

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: May 31, 2026

Last update for Guilin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $279 in Guilin. 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 248% 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $19.00 in Guilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $192 – making Guilin 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 Guilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 55%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $1,003 in Guilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen and $19.00 in Guilin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,037 in Shenzhen and $669 in Guilin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guilin, where all-in costs run around $669, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Guilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guilin – 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 Guilin. 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.