Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Longyan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Longyan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,017 per month in Shenzhen vs $708 in Longyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,653 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,125 in Longyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,289 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,542 in Longyan, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 44% more than Longyan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shenzhen and Longyan are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 24% lower, Longyan 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 ¥21.85

$2.85 ¥19.27

13.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 ¥187

$21.07 ¥142

31.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥34.73

$5.41 ¥36.53

-4.81%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.68

$2.03 ¥13.69

58.13%

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

$0.49 ¥3.28

$0.51 ¥3.42

-3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.27 ¥1.80

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ¥8.66

$1.05 ¥7.09

21.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.05

$1.51 ¥10.22

86.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.88 ¥12.71

-4.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ¥13.54

$1.37 ¥9.27

46.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.97

$0.67 ¥4.49

76.12%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.33 ¥8.99

44.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 ¥85.1

$10.99 ¥74.2

14.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ¥25.93

$2.27 ¥15.33

69.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥90.9

$11.30 ¥76.3

19.20%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$2.44 ¥16.49

-26.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$1.32 ¥8.91

10.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.79

$1.50 ¥10.11

16.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.47

$1.84 ¥12.45

-23.91%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.13

$0.94 ¥6.37

12.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$1.65 ¥11.14

-13.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.82 ¥5.55

-9.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.51 ¥3.44

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ¥24.11

$2.82 ¥19.04

26.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ¥82.6

$24.16 ¥163

-49.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.85

$0.78 ¥5.27

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.81

$1.59 ¥10.73

19.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.71

$0.27 ¥1.80

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.39 ¥151

$16.38 ¥111

36.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.05

$1.42 ¥9.56

15.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.28 ¥1.89

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 ¥47.11

$6.80 ¥45.91

2.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.93

$1.18 ¥7.97

-0.85%

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

$23.0K ¥155.5K

$16.3K ¥110.2K

41.06%

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

$20.6K ¥139.2K

$17.7K ¥119.2K

16.79%

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

$65.5 ¥442

$38.84 ¥262

68.56%

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

$8.42 ¥56.8

$10.06 ¥67.9

-16.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.94 ¥87.3

$11.60 ¥78.3

11.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ¥338

$41.94 ¥283

19.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 ¥120

$13.70 ¥92.5

29.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ¥46.24

$6.78 ¥45.78

1.03%

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

$452 ¥3,053

$464 ¥3,130

-2.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.1K

$17.2K ¥115.9K

20.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ¥333

$28.12 ¥190

75.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 ¥207

$14.09 ¥95.1

118.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥519

$69.9 ¥472

9.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ¥537

$79.4 ¥536

0.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,916

$279 ¥1,881

161.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥2,792

$187 ¥1,264

120.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 ¥11.2K

$591 ¥3,988

181.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$900 ¥6,075

$357 ¥2,413

151.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥83.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,024 ¥40.7K

$1,312 ¥8,859

359.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 ¥11.7K

$490 ¥3,306

255.35%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.56

13.48%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 26, 2026

Last update for Longyan: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Shenzhen versus $279 in Longyan. 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 255% 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 $21.00 in Longyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $225 – making Longyan 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 Longyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,017 in Shenzhen, $708 in Longyan – roughly 44% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,526 per month in Shenzhen and $1,062 in Longyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 37% less in Longyan. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $452 per month in Shenzhen and $464 in Longyan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Shenzhen at $1,017. In Longyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Longyan – 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 Longyan. 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.