Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Korla Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Korla

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Shenzhen versus $697 in Korla.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,653 in Shenzhen versus $1,122 in Korla.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,289 in Shenzhen versus $1,547 in Korla.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 46% more expensive than in Korla, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 24% lower, Korla 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 ¥21.86

$2.82 ¥19.04

14.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 ¥187

$20.56 ¥139

34.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥34.75

$5.00 ¥33.77

3.00%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.70

$3.05 ¥20.59

5.25%

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

$0.49 ¥3.28

$0.46 ¥3.12

6.52%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.27 ¥1.82

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ¥8.67

$0.88 ¥5.98

45.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$2.03 ¥13.71

38.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.79 ¥12.10

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ¥13.54

$1.60 ¥10.81

25.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$0.96 ¥6.46

22.92%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.95

$1.61 ¥10.90

19.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 ¥85.1

$13.03 ¥88.0

-3.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ¥25.94

$3.18 ¥21.47

20.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.0

$10.38 ¥70.1

29.77%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.74 ¥11.77

2.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.25 ¥8.45

16.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.80

$1.38 ¥9.29

26.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.47

$1.12 ¥7.57

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.14

$0.72 ¥4.88

47.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.60

$0.98 ¥6.63

44.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.59 ¥4.01

25.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.51 ¥3.42

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ¥24.12

$3.07 ¥20.75

16.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ¥82.6

$10.16 ¥68.7

20.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.85

$0.81 ¥5.46

7.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.82

$1.67 ¥11.26

13.77%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.71

$0.29 ¥1.96

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.39 ¥151

$17.01 ¥115

31.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.41 ¥9.53

16.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.35 ¥2.37

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 ¥47.13

$6.75 ¥45.59

3.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.93

$1.17 ¥7.91

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

$23.0K ¥155.6K

$19.5K ¥131.4K

18.38%

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

$20.6K ¥139.3K

$16.6K ¥111.8K

24.60%

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

$65.5 ¥442

$44.95 ¥304

45.65%

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

$8.42 ¥56.9

$9.55 ¥64.5

-11.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.94 ¥87.4

$11.70 ¥79.0

10.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ¥338

$42.37 ¥286

18.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 ¥120

$14.13 ¥95.4

25.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ¥46.27

$6.24 ¥42.17

9.78%

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

$452 ¥3,055

$339 ¥2,293

33.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.2K

$17.1K ¥115.7K

20.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ¥333

$43.25 ¥292

14.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 ¥207

$30.25 ¥204

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥519

$72.1 ¥487

6.53%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ¥537

$73.7 ¥497

7.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,919

$274 ¥1,854

165.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥2,793

$187 ¥1,262

121.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 ¥11.2K

$595 ¥4,019

179.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$900 ¥6,079

$353 ¥2,386

154.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥83.3K

$2,714 ¥18.3K

354.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,024 ¥40.7K

$1,935 ¥13.1K

211.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 ¥11.8K

$729 ¥4,923

138.76%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Korla: July 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Shenzhen and $274 in Korla. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 139% 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 $21.00 in Korla for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $198 per month, with Korla 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 Korla: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Korla wins on cost – living expenses run 46% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Korla the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 139% higher in Shenzhen, 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: $728 in Shenzhen versus $274 in Korla. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Korla runs roughly 32% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $452 in Shenzhen versus $339 in Korla. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $697 in Korla versus $1,017 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Korla but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Korla 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 Korla gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.