Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nanchong Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nanchong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,139 per month in Shenzhen vs $680 in Nanchong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,731 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,108 in Nanchong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,322 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,536 in Nanchong, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 67% more than Nanchong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Nanchong are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 17% lower, Nanchong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.95

$1.80 ¥12.09

123.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$22.37 ¥150

33.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.42

$3.00 ¥20.15

76.00%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.52

$2.07 ¥13.87

62.32%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.47 ¥3.14

14.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.31 ¥2.11

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.78

$1.16 ¥7.75

25.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.11

$1.74 ¥11.69

29.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.93

$1.99 ¥13.33

-18.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.02

$1.56 ¥10.45

14.74%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.89

$0.64 ¥4.29

84.37%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.34

$2.11 ¥14.13

-19.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$17.58 ¥118

25.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.26

$3.41 ¥22.91

6.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥95.0

$10.05 ¥67.4

40.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.67

$1.56 ¥10.47

40.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.33 ¥8.91

16.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.71

$1.18 ¥7.92

60.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.90

$1.26 ¥8.47

17.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.95

$0.62 ¥4.14

90.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.30

$0.95 ¥6.40

61.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.82 ¥5.47

-34.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.66 ¥4.41

-12.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.44

$2.94 ¥19.72

54.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.9

$8.76 ¥58.8

44.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.09

$0.81 ¥5.42

12.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.39

$1.65 ¥11.10

12.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.13

$0.29 ¥1.97

110.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥149

$18.23 ¥122

21.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$0.91 ¥6.09

61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.69

$0.29 ¥1.92

37.93%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.68

$3.01 ¥20.21

140.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.37

$1.27 ¥8.52

-1.57%

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

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$19.0K ¥127.5K

0.33%

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

$18.1K ¥121.7K

$16.6K ¥111.3K

9.37%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$44.58 ¥299

38.09%

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

$9.91 ¥66.5

$7.19 ¥48.23

37.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$6.97 ¥46.76

116.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$40.66 ¥273

21.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$15.17 ¥102

12.00%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.34

$6.00 ¥40.28

22.50%

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

$525 ¥3,520

$288 ¥1,934

82.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.3K

$25.1K ¥168.6K

-4.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$39.01 ¥262

28.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$29.65 ¥199

35.78%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$64.3 ¥432

7.62%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$63.6 ¥427

35.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,150

$291 ¥1,952

163.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,129

$182 ¥1,220

156.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$610 ¥4,093

197.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,739

$369 ¥2,476

131.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.1K

$3,642 ¥24.4K

268.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.2K

$1,908 ¥12.8K

229.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.34

1.80%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Nanchong: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $768 in Shenzhen versus $291 in Nanchong. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shenzhen versus $22.00 in Nanchong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $257 vs $213 – making Nanchong 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 Nanchong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen, $680 in Nanchong – roughly 67% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,709 per month in Shenzhen and $1,021 in Nanchong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $525 per month in Shenzhen and $288 in Nanchong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 21% 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 Nanchong, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Shenzhen at $1,139. In Nanchong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nanchong – 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 Nanchong. 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.