Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Guizhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Guizhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $608 in Guizhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $962 in Guizhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,316 in Guizhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 87% more expensive than in Guizhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Guizhou 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.92

$2.67 ¥17.87

50.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$20.89 ¥140

43.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.38

$5.61 ¥37.57

-5.88%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.49

$2.87 ¥19.20

17.07%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.46 ¥3.09

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.25 ¥1.66

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$0.77 ¥5.16

89.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.09

$1.91 ¥12.80

17.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.81 ¥12.15

-9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$1.71 ¥11.48

4.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.88

$0.80 ¥5.39

47.50%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.92 ¥12.84

-11.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$7.34 ¥49.18

200.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.23

$4.54 ¥30.45

-20.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥94.9

$10.80 ¥72.4

31.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.65

$2.00 ¥13.38

9.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$1.61 ¥10.76

-3.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.51 ¥10.12

25.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.89

$1.48 ¥9.88

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.94

$0.67 ¥4.51

76.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.28

$0.77 ¥5.16

98.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.39 ¥2.60

38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.54 ¥3.64

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.40

$2.99 ¥20.02

51.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.8

$7.30 ¥48.89

73.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$0.85 ¥5.68

7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$1.22 ¥8.15

51.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.36 ¥2.39

69.44%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

$27.11 ¥182

-18.26%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.52 ¥10.16

-3.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.31 ¥2.11

29.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.62

$4.98 ¥33.35

45.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.23 ¥8.25

1.63%

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

$19.1K ¥127.8K

$18.6K ¥124.3K

2.78%

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

$18.1K ¥121.5K

$15.7K ¥105.1K

15.60%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$29.10 ¥195

111.55%

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

$9.91 ¥66.4

$6.33 ¥42.44

56.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$6.03 ¥40.39

150.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$21.96 ¥147

125.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$11.69 ¥78.4

45.34%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.27

$7.59 ¥50.8

-3.16%

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

$525 ¥3,516

$243 ¥1,628

115.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.1K

$11.0K ¥73.8K

118.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$32.94 ¥221

51.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$22.68 ¥152

77.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$74.2 ¥497

-6.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$42.26 ¥283

103.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,144

$270 ¥1,807

184.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

$134 ¥900

247.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$377 ¥2,524

382.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,732

$245 ¥1,642

249.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.0K

$1,839 ¥12.3K

630.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.1K

$1,108 ¥7,428

466.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$690 ¥4,623

144.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Guizhou: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $270 in Guizhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 145% 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: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $21.00 in Guizhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $189 per month, with Guizhou 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 Guizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guizhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 87% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 145% 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: $768 in Shenzhen versus $270 in Guizhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Guizhou runs roughly 22% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $525 in Shenzhen versus $243 in Guizhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $608 in Guizhou versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Guizhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Guizhou 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.

Safety-wise, Shenzhen and Guizhou are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Guizhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 87% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.