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: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $675 in Hanzhong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,059 in Hanzhong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,444 in Hanzhong.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 53% more expensive than in Hanzhong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Hanzhong 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.16

$2.84 ¥19.23

10.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$18.08 ¥122

52.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.96

$5.34 ¥36.16

-8.80%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.46

$3.12 ¥21.09

6.41%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.36 ¥2.45

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.22 ¥1.49

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.22

$1.14 ¥7.73

6.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.76

$1.72 ¥11.62

61.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.83

$1.57 ¥10.65

11.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$1.54 ¥10.44

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.97

$0.81 ¥5.48

45.68%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.96

$1.60 ¥10.82

20.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$7.12 ¥48.15

78.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.60

$2.07 ¥13.99

89.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.5

$9.14 ¥61.9

46.39%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.63

$1.66 ¥11.21

12.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$1.14 ¥7.73

28.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.29

$1.32 ¥8.96

37.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.43

$0.75 ¥5.08

85.33%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.71 ¥4.78

53.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.60

$0.56 ¥3.82

153.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.05

$0.51 ¥3.42

47.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.53 ¥3.55

7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.94

$2.83 ¥19.17

19.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.63 ¥85.5

$7.17 ¥48.49

76.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.78 ¥5.29

19.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.87

$1.76 ¥11.93

7.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.27 ¥1.81

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$16.95 ¥115

31.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.40

$1.33 ¥9.02

27.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.54

$0.33 ¥2.23

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.63

$4.09 ¥27.66

65.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.15 ¥7.79

-0.87%

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

$22.7K ¥153.6K

$20.6K ¥139.6K

10.02%

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

$20.7K ¥139.9K

$16.4K ¥111.1K

25.92%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$38.55 ¥261

69.49%

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

$8.39 ¥56.8

$5.70 ¥38.54

47.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.5

$11.89 ¥80.4

10.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$41.84 ¥283

21.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$13.99 ¥94.6

25.80%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.87

$4.83 ¥32.70

46.58%

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

$467 ¥3,157

$328 ¥2,221

42.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥140.0K

$18.0K ¥121.5K

15.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$53.9 ¥365

-9.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$37.14 ¥251

-18.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$69.3 ¥469

7.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$72.1 ¥488

9.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,951

$283 ¥1,914

158.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,776

$188 ¥1,273

118.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$596 ¥4,031

185.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,155

$364 ¥2,463

149.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.4K ¥83.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,104 ¥41.3K

$3,640 ¥24.6K

67.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,723 ¥11.7K

$588 ¥3,976

193.18%

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: July 14, 2026

Last update for Hanzhong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $283 in Hanzhong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 193% 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 $229 vs $157 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 53% 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 193% 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 $283 in Hanzhong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $467 in Shenzhen versus $328 in Hanzhong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 46% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $675 in Hanzhong versus $1,032 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 53% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.