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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,036 per month in Shenzhen vs $707 in Handan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,669 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,125 in Handan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,301 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,544 in Handan, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 47% more than Handan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Handan are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 22% lower, Handan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.27 ¥22.15

$1.70 ¥11.51

92.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.02 ¥190

$20.77 ¥141

34.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.93 ¥33.37

$4.22 ¥28.57

16.82%

Cappuccino

$3.20 ¥21.63

$2.93 ¥19.83

9.22%

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

$0.52 ¥3.55

$0.37 ¥2.47

40.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.05

$0.29 ¥1.97

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.27

$0.89 ¥6.01

37.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$2.04 ¥13.78

38.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.93

$1.83 ¥12.38

-3.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$1.58 ¥10.72

24.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.07

$0.94 ¥6.37

26.60%

Eggs

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.61 ¥10.90

18.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.82 ¥86.7

$12.71 ¥86.0

0.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ¥26.50

$3.08 ¥20.87

27.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.41 ¥90.7

$10.29 ¥69.7

30.32%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.22

$1.74 ¥11.80

4.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.03

$1.25 ¥8.48

18.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.30

$1.37 ¥9.29

32.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.36 ¥9.19

$1.13 ¥7.61

20.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.72 ¥4.85

51.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.92

$0.93 ¥6.26

58.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ¥4.70

$0.57 ¥3.84

21.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$0.55 ¥3.74

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.69

$3.15 ¥21.35

11.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.26 ¥89.7

$10.14 ¥68.6

30.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$0.81 ¥5.46

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.92 ¥13.00

$1.57 ¥10.64

22.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.27 ¥1.81

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.77 ¥147

$16.73 ¥113

30.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.68 ¥11.39

$1.41 ¥9.53

19.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.33

$0.33 ¥2.21

3.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.90

$6.77 ¥45.79

-2.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.93

$1.13 ¥7.67

3.54%

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

$23.0K ¥155.6K

$19.5K ¥132.1K

17.77%

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

$20.5K ¥138.8K

$16.7K ¥113.1K

22.72%

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

$67.2 ¥455

$45.34 ¥307

48.28%

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

$8.47 ¥57.4

$10.08 ¥68.2

-15.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.80 ¥86.6

$11.72 ¥79.3

9.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.50 ¥335

$41.12 ¥278

20.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.44 ¥118

$14.19 ¥96.1

22.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.77 ¥45.84

$6.26 ¥42.34

8.15%

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

$454 ¥3,071

$334 ¥2,263

35.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.5K ¥138.7K

$17.1K ¥115.5K

20.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.82 ¥337

$43.31 ¥293

15.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.68 ¥208

$30.98 ¥210

-0.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 ¥515

$72.2 ¥489

5.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.1 ¥535

$75.4 ¥510

4.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$746 ¥5,050

$277 ¥1,874

169.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ¥2,767

$187 ¥1,263

119.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,704 ¥11.5K

$584 ¥3,952

191.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$907 ¥6,137

$356 ¥2,408

154.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.0K ¥87.9K

$3,336 ¥22.6K

289.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,233 ¥42.2K

$1,593 ¥10.8K

291.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,644 ¥11.1K

$731 ¥4,949

124.88%

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: June 14, 2026

Last update for Handan: June 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $746 in Shenzhen versus $277 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 125% 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 $21.00 in Handan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $231 vs $196 – 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 47%, 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 $1,554 per month in Shenzhen and $1,060 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen and $21.00 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 $1,036 in Shenzhen and $707 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 $707, than in Shenzhen at $1,036. 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.