Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Hanzhong Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Hanzhong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $678 in Hanzhong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $1,094 in Hanzhong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,510 in Hanzhong.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 68% more expensive than in Hanzhong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Hanzhong 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.92

$2.76 ¥18.46

45.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$18.11 ¥121

65.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.38

$4.35 ¥29.12

21.38%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.49

$2.10 ¥14.08

60.00%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.40 ¥2.71

35.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.24 ¥1.60

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$1.53 ¥10.24

-4.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.09

$1.50 ¥10.08

50.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.41 ¥9.43

15.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$1.71 ¥11.49

4.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.88

$0.85 ¥5.72

38.82%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.42 ¥9.54

19.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$11.30 ¥75.8

94.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.23

$3.53 ¥23.63

2.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥94.9

$10.57 ¥70.9

33.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.65

$1.66 ¥11.09

31.93%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$1.16 ¥7.75

33.62%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.28 ¥8.57

47.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.89

$1.32 ¥8.85

12.12%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.94

$0.65 ¥4.34

81.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.28

$0.73 ¥4.86

109.59%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.58 ¥3.87

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.55 ¥3.70

5.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.40

$3.28 ¥21.97

38.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.8

$8.69 ¥58.3

45.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$0.78 ¥5.23

16.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$1.71 ¥11.44

8.19%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.29 ¥1.95

110.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

$17.66 ¥118

25.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.28 ¥8.59

14.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.29 ¥1.93

37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.62

$4.58 ¥30.71

58.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.21 ¥8.11

3.31%

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

$19.1K ¥127.8K

$19.5K ¥130.7K

-2.21%

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

$18.1K ¥121.5K

$17.5K ¥117.5K

3.41%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$41.09 ¥275

49.82%

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

$9.91 ¥66.4

$5.85 ¥39.21

69.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$10.53 ¥70.5

43.30%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$37.73 ¥253

31.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$16.02 ¥107

6.05%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.27

$5.16 ¥34.58

42.44%

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

$525 ¥3,516

$689 ¥4,618

-23.87%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.1K

$17.4K ¥116.6K

38.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$38.49 ¥258

29.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$37.16 ¥249

8.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$75.2 ¥504

-8.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$84.1 ¥563

2.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,144

$248 ¥1,661

209.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

$183 ¥1,223

155.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$683 ¥4,577

166.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,732

$367 ¥2,459

133.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.0K

$2,897 ¥19.4K

363.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.1K

$1,967 ¥13.2K

219.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$573 ¥3,838

194.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.1

9.68%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hanzhong: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $248 in Hanzhong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 195% 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 $18.00 in Hanzhong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $188 per month, with Hanzhong 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 Hanzhong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanzhong wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hanzhong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 195% 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 $248 in Hanzhong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $525 in Shenzhen versus $689 in Hanzhong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 37% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $678 in Hanzhong versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hanzhong but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Hanzhong 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 Hanzhong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.