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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,108 per month in Shenzhen vs $455 in Longyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,752 per month in Shenzhen vs $753 in Longyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,397 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,052 in Longyan, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 143% more than Longyan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Longyan are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 19% lower, Longyan 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ¥24.65

$3.03 ¥20.32

21.45%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 ¥201

$21.97 ¥147

36.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.13 ¥34.35

$5.23 ¥35.03

-1.91%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥21.81

$2.25 ¥15.05

44.89%

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

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.49 ¥3.27

18.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.27 ¥1.79

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$0.85 ¥5.70

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.23

$1.67 ¥11.22

35.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.91

$2.07 ¥13.87

-21.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 ¥12.47

$1.46 ¥9.80

27.40%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.16

$0.71 ¥4.75

71.83%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.55

$1.51 ¥10.14

13.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.88 ¥147

$7.33 ¥49.12

198.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 ¥24.12

$2.96 ¥19.83

21.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.34 ¥96.0

$9.26 ¥62.0

54.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.25 ¥15.06

$1.86 ¥12.47

20.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.63

$1.31 ¥8.79

21.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.61

$1.70 ¥11.36

10.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$1.12 ¥7.48

32.14%

Potato (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$0.85 ¥5.66

44.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$0.99 ¥6.60

49.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$0.43 ¥2.89

34.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.52 ¥3.51

3.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.40 ¥29.50

$3.26 ¥21.86

34.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.74 ¥85.3

$12.10 ¥81.0

5.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ¥6.59

$0.77 ¥5.14

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.81 ¥12.15

$1.16 ¥7.76

56.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.13 ¥0.86

384.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.30 ¥149

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ¥9.79

$1.06 ¥7.10

37.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.51

$0.47 ¥3.13

-21.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.09 ¥47.50

$7.61 ¥51.0

-6.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$1.22 ¥8.14

7.38%

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

$19.4K ¥129.7K

$19.4K ¥129.9K

-0.13%

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

$18.4K ¥123.2K

$15.3K ¥102.6K

20.12%

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

$62.1 ¥416

$65.1 ¥436

-4.62%

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

$10.07 ¥67.5

$15.70 ¥105

-35.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.91 ¥99.9

$9.09 ¥60.9

64.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$48.67 ¥326

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.94 ¥113

$4.51 ¥30.20

275.61%

Cinema Ticket

$7.48 ¥50.1

$7.29 ¥48.84

2.61%

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

$535 ¥3,581

$208 ¥1,395

156.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥160.9K

$11.9K ¥79.5K

102.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.75 ¥333

$29.86 ¥200

66.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.48 ¥264

$14.78 ¥99.0

167.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.8 ¥467

$75.7 ¥507

-7.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.5 ¥586

$95.9 ¥642

-8.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ¥5,037

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$465 ¥3,117

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,819 ¥12.2K

$376 ¥2,515

384.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$862 ¥5,774

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,442 ¥43.2K

$1,321 ¥8,846

387.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,732 ¥11.6K

$499 ¥3,340

247.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.22

5.59%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: September 13, 2026

Last update for Longyan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 247% 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 $30.00 in Shenzhen versus $22.00 in Longyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $258 vs $181 – 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: $1,108 in Shenzhen, $455 in Longyan – roughly 143% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,662 per month in Shenzhen and $683 in Longyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shenzhen and $22.00 in Longyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 43% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Shenzhen at $1,108. 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.