Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Haikou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Haikou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $786 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,196 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,605 in Haikou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 31% more expensive than in Haikou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Haikou 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$2.55 ¥17.26

22.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$24.04 ¥163

14.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.97

$5.31 ¥35.95

-8.29%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.46

$2.95 ¥19.94

12.54%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.45 ¥3.06

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.30 ¥2.06

-6.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.22

$1.40 ¥9.49

-13.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.76

$3.63 ¥24.55

-23.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.83

$1.77 ¥12.00

-1.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$1.42 ¥9.61

38.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.97

$0.88 ¥5.93

34.09%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.96

$1.85 ¥12.55

3.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.9

$12.90 ¥87.3

-1.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.61

$5.47 ¥37.00

-28.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.6

$15.10 ¥102

-11.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.63

$0.86 ¥5.79

117.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$0.89 ¥6.05

64.04%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.29

$0.40 ¥2.72

355.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.44

$0.95 ¥6.40

46.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.40

$0.70 ¥4.76

55.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$0.68 ¥4.62

108.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.05

$0.27 ¥1.81

177.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.52 ¥3.53

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.94

$2.90 ¥19.65

16.90%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.4

$11.69 ¥79.2

7.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.79 ¥5.35

17.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.87

$1.57 ¥10.65

21.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.27 ¥1.83

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$16.76 ¥113

32.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.40

$2.73 ¥18.47

-38.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.54

$0.33 ¥2.20

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.65

$6.73 ¥45.58

0.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.16 ¥7.87

-1.72%

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

$22.7K ¥153.7K

$20.3K ¥137.7K

11.59%

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

$20.7K ¥140.0K

$16.7K ¥112.9K

24.00%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$34.12 ¥231

91.50%

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

$8.39 ¥56.8

$13.71 ¥92.8

-38.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.5

$8.57 ¥58.0

52.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥345

$32.90 ¥223

54.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$5.79 ¥39.21

203.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.89

$5.41 ¥36.64

30.87%

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

$467 ¥3,159

$340 ¥2,304

37.08%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥140.0K

$28.4K ¥192.2K

-27.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$41.66 ¥282

16.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$41.90 ¥284

-27.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥506

$42.49 ¥288

75.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥537

$35.08 ¥237

126.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,953

$352 ¥2,383

107.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,777

$282 ¥1,906

45.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$540 ¥3,655

214.51%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,157

$469 ¥3,173

94.06%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.4K

$3,108 ¥21.0K

315.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.6K

$2,120 ¥14.3K

182.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$719 ¥4,868

139.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.85

-16.70%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Haikou: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $352 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 139% 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 $24.00 in Haikou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $211 per month, with Haikou 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 Haikou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Haikou differ by about 31% in total monthly costs ($1,032 vs $786 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 139% 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 $352 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,032 per month in Shenzhen versus $786 in Haikou – a 31% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 33% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $786 in Haikou versus $1,032 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Haikou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Haikou 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 Haikou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.