Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Huzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Huzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $706 in Huzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,145 in Huzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,583 in Huzhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 47% more expensive than Huzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Huzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.19

$2.73 ¥18.47

14.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$22.60 ¥153

21.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.28

$4.77 ¥32.30

6.08%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.53

$3.20 ¥21.64

4.06%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.45 ¥3.04

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.90

$0.26 ¥1.76

7.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$0.87 ¥5.91

40.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.15

$2.15 ¥14.58

31.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.73

$2.24 ¥15.16

-22.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$2.19 ¥14.84

-10.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.82 ¥5.56

50.00%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.11

$1.48 ¥10.04

31.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.4

$9.07 ¥61.5

40.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.45

$2.83 ¥19.15

43.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$8.84 ¥59.9

52.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.70

$2.24 ¥15.15

-16.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.43 ¥9.67

-1.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.58 ¥10.70

15.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.20 ¥8.13

11.67%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.88 ¥5.99

19.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.92

$0.96 ¥6.49

52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.83 ¥5.60

-14.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.90

$3.52 ¥23.81

-3.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.5

$11.79 ¥79.8

9.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.51 ¥3.44

84.31%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.66

$1.49 ¥10.12

25.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.27 ¥1.82

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.38 ¥111

32.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.03

$1.55 ¥10.51

5.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.38 ¥2.60

-7.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.52

$8.42 ¥57.0

-16.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.13 ¥7.64

4.42%

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

$22.9K ¥155.0K

$17.2K ¥116.6K

32.98%

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

$20.7K ¥140.4K

$14.3K ¥97.0K

44.69%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$42.85 ¥290

52.46%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$11.06 ¥74.9

-25.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.4

$10.97 ¥74.3

18.96%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$41.03 ¥278

22.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.83 ¥93.7

25.74%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.49

$5.69 ¥38.56

20.56%

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

$457 ¥3,094

$400 ¥2,711

14.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.2K

$18.1K ¥122.8K

15.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥334

$43.57 ¥295

13.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$32.99 ¥223

-7.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥503

$68.1 ¥461

9.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$82.9 ¥561

-3.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,990

$279 ¥1,892

163.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,785

$190 ¥1,289

116.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.5K

$584 ¥3,956

189.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,116

$361 ¥2,444

150.22%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$3,128 ¥21.2K

320.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,799 ¥12.2K

245.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$1,454 ¥9,846

14.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.87

4.39%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Huzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $279 in Huzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 15% 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 $23.00 in Huzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $197 per month, with Huzhou 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 Huzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Huzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 47% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shenzhen pays 15% more on average, 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $279 in Huzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Huzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $706 in Huzhou versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Huzhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Huzhou 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 Huzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 47% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.