Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Liuzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Liuzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $728 in Liuzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,126 in Liuzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,524 in Liuzhou, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 42% more than Liuzhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shenzhen and Liuzhou are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Liuzhou 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$2.60 ¥17.61

20.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$15.49 ¥105

77.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$3.73 ¥25.21

35.66%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.51

$3.31 ¥22.40

0.60%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.50 ¥3.35

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.25 ¥1.70

12.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.87 ¥5.88

40.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.13

$2.07 ¥14.03

36.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$1.62 ¥10.94

6.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$2.11 ¥14.29

-6.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.34

$1.76 ¥11.92

-30.11%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.09

$1.46 ¥9.86

32.88%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$12.67 ¥85.7

0.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.42

$3.38 ¥22.85

19.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$11.00 ¥74.4

22.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.71 ¥11.57

9.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.03 ¥6.99

36.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$1.41 ¥9.51

29.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$2.13 ¥14.38

-37.09%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$0.67 ¥4.54

56.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.90 ¥6.09

62.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.84 ¥5.72

-15.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$1.09 ¥7.40

-47.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.87

$3.66 ¥24.79

-7.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$11.95 ¥80.8

8.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$0.84 ¥5.68

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$2.72 ¥18.40

-31.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.29 ¥1.96

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.95 ¥115

28.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.41 ¥9.52

15.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.26 ¥1.74

34.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.47

$6.83 ¥46.23

2.78%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.27 ¥8.62

-7.09%

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

$22.9K ¥154.8K

$15.4K ¥104.0K

48.90%

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

$20.7K ¥140.2K

$13.0K ¥87.9K

59.56%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$46.14 ¥312

41.59%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$9.98 ¥67.5

-17.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$10.42 ¥70.5

25.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$76.7 ¥519

-34.45%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$14.17 ¥95.9

22.72%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.44

$4.99 ¥33.78

37.47%

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

$457 ¥3,090

$230 ¥1,553

98.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.0K

$16.9K ¥114.6K

23.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$37.87 ¥256

30.05%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$22.56 ¥153

35.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$60.2 ¥407

23.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$52.4 ¥355

52.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,984

$221 ¥1,496

233.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$171 ¥1,155

140.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$386 ¥2,612

338.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,109

$297 ¥2,011

203.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$3,155 ¥21.3K

316.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,774 ¥12.0K

250.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$585 ¥3,957

184.72%

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 Liuzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $221 in Liuzhou. 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 185% 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 $15.00 in Liuzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $223 – making Liuzhou 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 Liuzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen, $728 in Liuzhou – roughly 42% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $1,093 in Liuzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 3% more in Shenzhen, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen and $15.00 in Liuzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Liuzhou, where all-in costs run around $728, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Liuzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Liuzhou – 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 Liuzhou. 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.