Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Handan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Handan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,139 per month in Shenzhen vs $668 in Handan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,039 in Handan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,322 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,410 in Handan, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 71% more than Handan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Handan are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 17% lower, Handan 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.92

$1.82 ¥12.19

120.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$17.92 ¥120

67.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.38

$4.36 ¥29.20

21.10%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.49

$2.57 ¥17.20

30.74%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.42 ¥2.84

28.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.23 ¥1.55

56.52%

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

$1.53 ¥10.22

47.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.52 ¥10.17

7.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$0.71 ¥4.76

152.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.88

$0.71 ¥4.74

66.20%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$0.96 ¥6.45

76.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$11.63 ¥77.9

89.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.23

$2.88 ¥19.32

25.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥94.9

$11.33 ¥75.9

24.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.65

$1.47 ¥9.88

48.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$0.61 ¥4.11

154.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.87 ¥12.52

1.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.89

$1.33 ¥8.89

11.28%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.94

$0.29 ¥1.93

306.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.28

$0.31 ¥2.09

393.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.57 ¥3.82

-5.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.36 ¥2.40

61.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.40

$3.68 ¥24.65

23.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.8

$10.24 ¥68.6

23.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$0.67 ¥4.48

35.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$1.35 ¥9.07

37.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.29 ¥1.92

110.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

$17.74 ¥119

24.92%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$0.91 ¥6.12

61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.31 ¥2.08

29.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.62

$4.44 ¥29.75

63.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.26 ¥8.47

-0.79%

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

$19.1K ¥127.8K

$19.4K ¥129.8K

-1.57%

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

$18.1K ¥121.5K

$14.7K ¥98.6K

23.29%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$72.6 ¥487

-15.23%

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

$9.91 ¥66.4

$4.33 ¥29.02

128.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$5.21 ¥34.91

189.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$40.52 ¥272

22.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$15.33 ¥103

10.83%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.27

$4.35 ¥29.14

68.97%

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

$525 ¥3,516

$212 ¥1,418

148.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.1K

$20.0K ¥134.2K

20.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$29.59 ¥198

68.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$42.01 ¥281

-4.17%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$44.19 ¥296

56.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$69.2 ¥464

24.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,144

$301 ¥2,016

155.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

$207 ¥1,390

124.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$535 ¥3,587

239.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,732

$407 ¥2,727

110.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.0K

$2,890 ¥19.4K

364.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.1K

$2,133 ¥14.3K

194.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$650 ¥4,355

159.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

13.33%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Handan: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $768 in Shenzhen versus $301 in Handan. 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 160% 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 $18.00 in Handan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $172 – making Handan 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 Handan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 71%, 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 $1,709 per month in Shenzhen and $1,001 in Handan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Handan, 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 $30.00 in Shenzhen and $18.00 in Handan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,139 in Shenzhen and $668 in Handan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Handan, where all-in costs run around $668, than in Shenzhen at $1,139. In Handan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Handan – 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 Handan. 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.