Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Lanzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Lanzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $723 in Lanzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $1,141 in Lanzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,559 in Lanzhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 58% more expensive than in Lanzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Lanzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.95

$2.22 ¥14.89

81.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$26.60 ¥179

12.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.42

$5.76 ¥38.68

-8.33%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.52

$2.55 ¥17.11

31.76%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.46 ¥3.10

17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.31 ¥2.08

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$0.65 ¥4.36

124.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.11

$2.11 ¥14.18

6.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.93

$1.82 ¥12.24

-10.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.02

$1.65 ¥11.09

8.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$0.99 ¥6.66

19.19%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$1.98 ¥13.25

-14.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$13.18 ¥88.5

67.15%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.26

$3.46 ¥23.20

4.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥95.0

$12.26 ¥82.3

15.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.67

$1.90 ¥12.76

15.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.31 ¥8.76

18.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.71

$1.59 ¥10.65

18.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$1.24 ¥8.29

19.35%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$0.61 ¥4.07

93.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.30

$0.93 ¥6.26

64.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.58 ¥3.87

-6.90%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.58 ¥3.91

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.44

$3.79 ¥25.40

19.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.9

$11.39 ¥76.5

11.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.09

$0.80 ¥5.38

13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$1.59 ¥10.65

16.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.13

$0.29 ¥1.93

110.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥149

$17.87 ¥120

24.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$1.84 ¥12.36

-20.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.29 ¥1.94

37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.68

$7.02 ¥47.08

3.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.37

$1.42 ¥9.56

-11.97%

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

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$21.8K ¥146.3K

-12.56%

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

$18.1K ¥121.7K

$15.8K ¥106.1K

14.69%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$55.1 ¥370

11.79%

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

$9.91 ¥66.5

$8.55 ¥57.4

15.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$10.94 ¥73.4

37.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$40.64 ¥273

21.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$14.60 ¥98.0

16.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.34

$6.41 ¥43.00

14.66%

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

$525 ¥3,520

$415 ¥2,787

26.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.3K

$16.8K ¥112.9K

42.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$41.80 ¥280

19.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$33.84 ¥227

18.97%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$75.0 ¥503

-7.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$90.1 ¥604

-4.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,150

$293 ¥1,963

162.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

$166 ¥1,114

180.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$591 ¥3,965

207.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,739

$291 ¥1,953

193.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.1K

$2,688 ¥18.0K

399.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.2K

$1,664 ¥11.2K

277.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$953 ¥6,393

77.20%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

13.33%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Lanzhou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $293 in Lanzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 77% 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: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $27.00 in Lanzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $213 per month, with Lanzhou 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 Lanzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lanzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 58% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 77% 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: $768 in Shenzhen versus $293 in Lanzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $525 in Shenzhen versus $415 in Lanzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 21% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $723 in Lanzhou versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lanzhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Lanzhou 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 Lanzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.