Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Huizhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Huizhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $703 in Huizhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,080 in Huizhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,457 in Huizhou, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 48% more than Huizhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Huizhou are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Huizhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.18

$2.03 ¥13.77

54.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$16.33 ¥111

68.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.26

$4.75 ¥32.13

6.53%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.52

$2.80 ¥18.92

18.93%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.47 ¥3.15

2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.29 ¥1.99

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$1.01 ¥6.81

20.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.14

$1.56 ¥10.57

81.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$1.86 ¥12.61

-6.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$1.46 ¥9.88

34.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$1.06 ¥7.16

16.04%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.10

$1.42 ¥9.59

36.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$7.51 ¥50.8

69.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.43

$4.05 ¥27.41

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$11.54 ¥78.1

16.72%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.71 ¥11.57

9.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.24 ¥8.41

13.71%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.20 ¥8.09

51.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.27 ¥8.62

5.51%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.90 ¥6.07

16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$1.09 ¥7.36

33.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.52 ¥3.49

36.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.43 ¥2.89

32.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.88

$2.87 ¥19.42

17.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$10.78 ¥73.0

19.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$1.01 ¥6.85

-6.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.44 ¥9.74

29.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.80

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.66 ¥113

30.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$0.93 ¥6.29

75.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.38 ¥2.55

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.49

$3.39 ¥22.93

107.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.11 ¥7.54

6.31%

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

$22.9K ¥154.9K

$18.3K ¥124.1K

24.84%

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

$20.7K ¥140.3K

$14.2K ¥96.1K

46.05%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$46.09 ¥312

41.74%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$10.51 ¥71.2

-21.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$9.35 ¥63.3

39.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$38.46 ¥260

30.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.96 ¥94.5

24.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.46

$6.25 ¥42.30

9.76%

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

$457 ¥3,092

$312 ¥2,109

46.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.1K

$15.8K ¥107.2K

31.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$40.56 ¥275

21.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$28.56 ¥193

7.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$69.3 ¥469

7.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$60.7 ¥411

31.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,987

$196 ¥1,325

276.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,783

$216 ¥1,464

90.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$375 ¥2,535

351.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,112

$387 ¥2,621

133.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$2,194 ¥14.8K

499.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,172 ¥7,935

430.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$855 ¥5,788

94.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

1.00%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Huizhou: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $196 in Huizhou. 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 95% 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 $16.00 in Huizhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $189 – making Huizhou 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 Huizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen, $703 in Huizhou – roughly 48% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $1,054 in Huizhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen and $16.00 in Huizhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,037 in Shenzhen and $703 in Huizhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Huizhou, where all-in costs run around $703, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Huizhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Huizhou – 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 Huizhou. 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.