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: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $665 in Hanzhong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,060 in Hanzhong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,455 in Hanzhong.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 56% more expensive than Hanzhong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Hanzhong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$2.78 ¥18.79

12.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$17.86 ¥121

54.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$5.42 ¥36.67

-6.64%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.51

$3.28 ¥22.16

1.52%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.40 ¥2.67

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.22 ¥1.48

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.08 ¥7.32

12.96%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.13

$1.75 ¥11.85

61.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$1.49 ¥10.08

16.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$1.54 ¥10.45

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.87 ¥5.87

41.38%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.60 ¥10.82

21.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$7.08 ¥47.91

80.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.42

$1.96 ¥13.23

106.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$9.09 ¥61.5

48.18%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.64 ¥11.07

14.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.14 ¥7.68

23.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$1.30 ¥8.78

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$0.77 ¥5.19

74.03%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.69 ¥4.70

52.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.56 ¥3.78

160.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.55 ¥3.75

29.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.56 ¥3.76

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.87

$2.74 ¥18.51

23.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$7.31 ¥49.46

76.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$0.78 ¥5.25

20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.69 ¥11.45

10.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.80

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.94 ¥115

28.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.39 ¥9.43

17.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.36 ¥2.41

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.47

$4.13 ¥27.91

69.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.17 ¥7.92

0.85%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$21.1K ¥142.9K

8.37%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$16.1K ¥108.9K

28.83%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$37.89 ¥256

72.42%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$5.50 ¥37.23

49.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.91 ¥80.6

9.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$42.07 ¥285

19.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.86 ¥93.8

25.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.44

$4.92 ¥33.27

39.43%

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

$457 ¥3,091

$332 ¥2,247

37.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$18.4K ¥124.2K

13.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$55.4 ¥375

-11.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$37.51 ¥254

-18.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$68.0 ¥460

9.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$71.4 ¥483

12.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,985

$276 ¥1,865

167.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$189 ¥1,279

117.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$586 ¥3,965

188.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,110

$363 ¥2,455

148.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$3,091 ¥20.9K

325.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,769 ¥12.0K

251.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$578 ¥3,913

187.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.1

30.32%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hanzhong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $276 in Hanzhong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 188% 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 $18.00 in Hanzhong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $156 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 56% 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.

Shenzhen pays 188% more on average, 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $276 in Hanzhong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $457 in Shenzhen versus $332 in Hanzhong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 47% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $665 in Hanzhong versus $1,037 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 56% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.