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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $767 in Heyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,200 in Heyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,634 in Heyuan, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 35% more than Heyuan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shenzhen and Heyuan are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Heyuan 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$2.73 ¥18.45

14.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$15.02 ¥102

83.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$4.30 ¥29.11

17.67%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.51

$2.15 ¥14.53

54.88%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.36 ¥2.44

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.22 ¥1.49

27.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.72 ¥4.90

69.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.13

$1.64 ¥11.11

72.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$1.93 ¥13.05

-10.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$2.09 ¥14.14

-5.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.34

$1.25 ¥8.48

-1.60%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.09

$1.53 ¥10.33

26.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$18.77 ¥127

-32.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.42

$4.71 ¥31.84

-14.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$14.21 ¥96.1

-5.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$2.11 ¥14.26

-10.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.26 ¥8.55

11.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$1.94 ¥13.10

-6.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$1.43 ¥9.68

-6.29%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$0.88 ¥5.92

19.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$1.09 ¥7.35

33.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.51 ¥3.48

39.22%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.61 ¥4.10

-6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.87

$3.88 ¥26.28

-12.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$10.40 ¥70.4

24.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$0.93 ¥6.28

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.43 ¥9.70

30.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.82

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.77 ¥113

29.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.63 ¥11.05

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.38 ¥2.54

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.47

$6.22 ¥42.11

12.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.18 ¥7.99

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

$22.9K ¥154.8K

$21.2K ¥143.1K

8.21%

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

$20.7K ¥140.2K

$19.4K ¥131.3K

6.80%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$59.8 ¥405

9.17%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$12.99 ¥87.9

-36.87%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.78 ¥79.7

10.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$42.28 ¥286

18.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.69 ¥92.6

27.03%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.44

$6.22 ¥42.08

10.29%

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

$457 ¥3,090

$320 ¥2,165

42.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.0K

$16.3K ¥110.0K

28.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$41.68 ¥282

18.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$27.93 ¥189

9.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$69.3 ¥469

7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$60.5 ¥409

32.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,984

$279 ¥1,888

163.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$191 ¥1,291

115.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$586 ¥3,967

188.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,109

$364 ¥2,464

147.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$3,117 ¥21.1K

321.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,629 ¥11.0K

281.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$1,327 ¥8,978

25.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.08

-0.98%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Heyuan: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $279 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 25% 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 $15.00 in Heyuan. Groceries tell a different story – $230 in Shenzhen vs $249 in Heyuan – so Shenzhen 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: $1,037 in Shenzhen, $767 in Heyuan – roughly 35% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $1,150 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 8% cheaper in Shenzhen – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen and $15.00 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 $767, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. 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.