Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Heyuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Heyuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,139 per month in Shenzhen vs $795 in Heyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,282 in Heyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,322 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,769 in Heyuan, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 43% more than Heyuan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Shenzhen and Heyuan are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 17% lower, Heyuan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.92

$2.95 ¥19.77

36.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$29.63 ¥199

1.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.38

$5.36 ¥35.89

-1.49%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.49

$3.29 ¥22.08

2.13%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.58 ¥3.89

-6.90%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.35 ¥2.35

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$1.48 ¥9.91

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.09

$2.69 ¥18.04

-16.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.89 ¥12.65

-13.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$2.05 ¥13.77

-12.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.88

$1.09 ¥7.29

8.26%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.48 ¥9.91

14.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$16.42 ¥110

34.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.23

$5.24 ¥35.11

-30.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥94.9

$12.11 ¥81.2

16.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.65

$2.24 ¥15.00

-2.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$1.17 ¥7.85

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.55 ¥10.39

21.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.89

$1.79 ¥12.02

-17.32%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.94

$0.99 ¥6.60

19.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.28

$1.21 ¥8.12

26.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.85 ¥5.72

-36.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.71 ¥4.76

-18.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.40

$3.65 ¥24.49

24.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.8

$12.42 ¥83.2

1.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$1.12 ¥7.51

-18.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$2.04 ¥13.70

-9.31%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.32 ¥2.17

90.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

$19.22 ¥129

15.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.77 ¥11.83

-16.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.41 ¥2.75

-2.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.62

$7.01 ¥46.95

3.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.28 ¥8.60

-2.34%

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

$19.1K ¥127.8K

$19.4K ¥130.2K

-1.86%

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

$18.1K ¥121.5K

$19.1K ¥128.3K

-5.26%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$59.3 ¥398

3.74%

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

$9.91 ¥66.4

$15.54 ¥104

-36.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$13.98 ¥93.7

7.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$36.64 ¥246

35.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$16.67 ¥112

1.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.27

$6.43 ¥43.09

14.31%

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

$525 ¥3,516

$424 ¥2,842

23.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.1K

$25.8K ¥173.2K

-6.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$51.7 ¥346

-3.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$39.70 ¥266

1.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$80.9 ¥542

-14.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$76.1 ¥510

13.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,144

$295 ¥1,976

160.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

$195 ¥1,307

139.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$604 ¥4,046

201.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,732

$325 ¥2,181

162.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.0K

$3,297 ¥22.1K

307.27%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.1K

$1,847 ¥12.4K

240.11%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$1,313 ¥8,802

28.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.45

-1.45%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Heyuan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $768 in Shenzhen versus $295 in Heyuan. 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 29% 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 $30.00 in Heyuan. Groceries tell a different story – $257 in Shenzhen vs $247 in Heyuan – so Heyuan wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Heyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen, $795 in Heyuan – roughly 43% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Shenzhen and $1,192 in Heyuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Heyuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 4% more in Shenzhen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shenzhen and $30.00 in Heyuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Heyuan, where all-in costs run around $795, than in Shenzhen at $1,139. In Heyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Heyuan – 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 Heyuan. 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.