Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Luoyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Luoyang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,140 in Shenzhen versus $655 in Luoyang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,759 in Shenzhen versus $1,051 in Luoyang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,378 in Shenzhen versus $1,447 in Luoyang.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 74% more expensive than in Luoyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Luoyang 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.05 ¥27.11

$3.75 ¥25.10

8.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.95 ¥201

$29.99 ¥201

-0.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.27

$5.61 ¥37.57

-8.73%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥22.78

$3.62 ¥24.23

-6.08%

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

$0.54 ¥3.61

$0.44 ¥2.94

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.27 ¥1.81

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.51 ¥10.11

$1.30 ¥8.68

16.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.19 ¥14.69

$3.00 ¥20.06

-27.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.54

$1.91 ¥12.80

-17.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$2.26 ¥15.11

-18.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.12

$1.02 ¥6.80

18.63%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$1.49 ¥10.00

13.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.16 ¥148

$13.46 ¥90.1

64.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.69 ¥24.69

$3.52 ¥23.56

4.83%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.25 ¥95.4

$8.74 ¥58.5

63.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.31 ¥15.49

$1.02 ¥6.80

126.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.71

$1.31 ¥8.76

22.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.19

$1.58 ¥10.59

15.19%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.43

$1.25 ¥8.36

12.80%

Potato (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.86

$0.72 ¥4.80

62.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.54 ¥10.31

$0.96 ¥6.46

60.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.91

$0.46 ¥3.11

26.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.84 ¥5.63

-35.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.39 ¥29.43

$1.74 ¥11.68

152.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.7

$13.18 ¥88.3

-4.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.43 ¥2.89

116.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.82 ¥12.16

$2.19 ¥14.70

-16.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.18

$0.31 ¥2.08

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.17 ¥148

$17.55 ¥118

26.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.85

$1.20 ¥8.05

22.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.51

$0.33 ¥2.20

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.42 ¥49.69

$6.93 ¥46.40

7.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.50

$1.21 ¥8.08

4.96%

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

$19.7K ¥131.8K

$19.2K ¥128.9K

2.23%

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

$18.2K ¥122.1K

$17.2K ¥115.3K

5.84%

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

$61.2 ¥410

$42.13 ¥282

45.15%

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

$10.07 ¥67.5

$5.85 ¥39.19

72.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.90 ¥99.8

$10.59 ¥70.9

40.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.64 ¥332

$22.54 ¥151

120.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.20 ¥115

$11.79 ¥79.0

45.89%

Cinema Ticket

$7.67 ¥51.4

$5.53 ¥37.03

38.70%

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

$524 ¥3,507

$191 ¥1,279

174.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.6K ¥158.2K

$16.9K ¥113.4K

39.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.44 ¥331

$50.2 ¥336

-1.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.23 ¥263

$30.30 ¥203

29.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.6 ¥459

$64.0 ¥428

7.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 ¥597

$80.8 ¥541

10.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$764 ¥5,114

$190 ¥1,272

302.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$473 ¥3,168

$125 ¥834

279.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,851 ¥12.4K

$432 ¥2,890

328.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$863 ¥5,777

$222 ¥1,484

289.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥90.8K

$2,144 ¥14.4K

532.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,418 ¥43.0K

$1,385 ¥9,276

363.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$626 ¥4,190

169.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.37

4.45

-24.27%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: September 6, 2026

Last update for Luoyang: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $764 in Shenzhen and $190 in Luoyang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 170% 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 $30.00 in Luoyang. Groceries flip the comparison at $258 vs $210, with Luoyang cheaper for home cooking.

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 Luoyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Luoyang wins on cost – living expenses run 74% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Luoyang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 170% 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: $764 in Shenzhen versus $190 in Luoyang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $524 in Shenzhen versus $191 in Luoyang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Shenzhen. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $655 in Luoyang versus $1,140 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Luoyang but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Luoyang 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 Luoyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.