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: $1,032 in Shenzhen versus $646 in Lanzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,649 in Shenzhen versus $1,016 in Lanzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,266 in Shenzhen versus $1,386 in Lanzhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 60% more expensive than in Lanzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Lanzhou 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.13

$2.05 ¥13.86

52.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.60 ¥187

$20.92 ¥141

31.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.92

$6.22 ¥42.00

-21.70%

Cappuccino

$3.32 ¥22.43

$2.95 ¥19.91

12.54%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.40 ¥2.72

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.82

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.21

$0.58 ¥3.89

108.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$1.64 ¥11.11

68.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$1.60 ¥10.83

9.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.61 ¥10.90

22.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.96

$0.94 ¥6.35

25.53%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.82 ¥12.32

5.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.69 ¥85.8

$12.73 ¥86.0

-0.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.93 ¥26.56

$3.16 ¥21.37

24.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.38 ¥90.4

$8.85 ¥59.8

51.19%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.61

$1.80 ¥12.16

3.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.44 ¥9.74

1.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.27

$1.30 ¥8.79

40.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.42

$0.94 ¥6.35

47.87%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$0.48 ¥3.25

127.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$0.88 ¥5.93

61.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.46 ¥3.08

63.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.52 ¥3.48

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ¥22.91

$3.18 ¥21.48

6.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.61 ¥85.2

$11.56 ¥78.1

9.08%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.75 ¥5.05

24.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.57 ¥10.62

21.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.97

$0.27 ¥1.80

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.23 ¥150

$16.53 ¥112

34.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.39

$1.37 ¥9.29

23.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.53

$0.20 ¥1.36

85.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥45.58

$2.44 ¥16.49

176.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.36 ¥9.22

-16.18%

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

$22.7K ¥153.4K

$19.7K ¥133.0K

15.39%

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

$20.7K ¥139.7K

$16.5K ¥111.7K

25.06%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$44.89 ¥303

45.56%

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

$8.39 ¥56.7

$10.02 ¥67.7

-16.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.08 ¥88.4

$11.66 ¥78.8

12.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.9 ¥344

$41.19 ¥278

23.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.60 ¥119

$13.76 ¥93.0

27.91%

Cinema Ticket

$7.08 ¥47.82

$6.14 ¥41.46

15.31%

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

$467 ¥3,154

$339 ¥2,291

37.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.7K ¥139.8K

$28.0K ¥189.2K

-26.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.53 ¥328

$44.28 ¥299

9.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.27 ¥205

$29.89 ¥202

1.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥505

$70.3 ¥475

6.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.3 ¥536

$40.96 ¥277

93.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$732 ¥4,945

$275 ¥1,858

166.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$410 ¥2,773

$159 ¥1,077

157.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,699 ¥11.5K

$601 ¥4,060

182.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,148

$273 ¥1,846

232.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.3K

$2,679 ¥18.1K

381.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,000 ¥40.5K

$1,710 ¥11.6K

250.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,720 ¥11.6K

$926 ¥6,258

85.69%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Lanzhou: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $732 in Shenzhen and $275 in Lanzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 86% 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 Lanzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $193 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 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 86% 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: $732 in Shenzhen versus $275 in Lanzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $467 in Shenzhen versus $339 in Lanzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 19% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $646 in Lanzhou versus $1,032 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 60% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.