Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Huai'an Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Huai'an

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,032 per month in Shenzhen vs $711 in Huai'an, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,649 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,137 in Huai'an, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,266 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,562 in Huai'an, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 45% more than Huai'an, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Huai'an are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Huai'an 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$2.83 ¥19.09

10.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$21.46 ¥145

28.61%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$4.80 ¥32.45

1.46%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$3.07 ¥20.73

8.14%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.44 ¥2.95

9.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.29 ¥1.99

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$0.93 ¥6.30

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$2.04 ¥13.78

35.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$1.88 ¥12.70

-6.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.54 ¥10.38

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.94 ¥6.37

25.53%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.62 ¥10.91

18.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$13.02 ¥88.0

-2.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$3.23 ¥21.84

21.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$10.41 ¥70.4

28.53%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$1.89 ¥12.78

-1.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.20 ¥8.13

21.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$1.49 ¥10.08

22.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$1.15 ¥7.76

20.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.75 ¥5.07

45.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$0.89 ¥6.02

59.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.55 ¥3.72

36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.55 ¥3.72

3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$3.07 ¥20.73

10.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$10.36 ¥70.0

21.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.80 ¥5.43

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.59 ¥10.73

19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.29 ¥1.97

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$16.68 ¥113

33.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.36 ¥9.21

24.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

$0.35 ¥2.40

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$6.70 ¥45.28

0.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.12 ¥7.58

1.79%

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

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$19.3K ¥130.1K

17.91%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$16.9K ¥114.2K

22.36%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$45.40 ¥307

43.92%

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

$8.39 ¥56.7

$9.96 ¥67.3

-15.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$11.75 ¥79.4

11.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$42.51 ¥287

19.76%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$14.17 ¥95.8

24.21%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$5.94 ¥40.16

19.19%

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

$467 ¥3,154

$331 ¥2,234

41.20%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

22.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$43.45 ¥294

11.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$31.02 ¥210

-2.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$72.5 ¥490

3.11%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$72.9 ¥493

8.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$283 ¥1,910

158.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$192 ¥1,296

113.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$602 ¥4,069

182.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$358 ¥2,420

153.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$3,020 ¥20.4K

327.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$2,057 ¥13.9K

191.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.89

3.86%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 14, 2026

Last update for Huai'an: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $732 in Shenzhen versus $283 in Huai'an. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $21.00 in Huai'an. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $200 – making Huai'an the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Huai'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shenzhen is pricier by about 45%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,549 per month in Shenzhen and $1,067 in Huai'an. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen and $21.00 in Huai'an. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Huai'an, where all-in costs run around $711, than in Shenzhen at $1,032. In Huai'an it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Huai'an – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Huai'an. 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.