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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,016 per month in Shenzhen vs $648 in Nanchong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,642 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,027 in Nanchong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,268 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,407 in Nanchong, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 57% more than Nanchong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Nanchong are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 25% lower, Nanchong 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ¥21.34

$1.70 ¥11.60

83.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.87 ¥190

$20.56 ¥140

35.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥35.17

$3.43 ¥23.43

50.15%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.67

$2.41 ¥16.43

31.54%

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

$0.52 ¥3.58

$0.39 ¥2.68

33.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.29 ¥2.00

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ¥8.70

$1.00 ¥6.86

27.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.26

$1.63 ¥11.15

73.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.47

$1.75 ¥11.95

4.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 ¥13.26

$1.25 ¥8.55

55.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥8.03

$0.73 ¥4.99

61.64%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.76

$1.36 ¥9.32

37.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 ¥87.5

$15.52 ¥106

-17.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ¥26.35

$2.49 ¥17.03

55.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ¥92.2

$10.12 ¥69.1

33.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.49

$1.09 ¥7.44

67.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.68

$1.09 ¥7.45

30.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.82

$0.99 ¥6.76

74.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.50

$0.68 ¥4.67

104.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.25

$0.58 ¥3.94

82.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.70

$0.71 ¥4.85

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ¥4.71

$0.56 ¥3.83

23.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.12

$0.40 ¥2.76

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥23.07

$3.17 ¥21.62

6.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 ¥99.1

$8.66 ¥59.2

67.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.32

$0.94 ¥6.45

-1.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.67

$1.97 ¥13.43

-5.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.27 ¥1.82

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ¥153

$16.57 ¥113

35.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$0.82 ¥5.61

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.32 ¥2.21

9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.79

$2.75 ¥18.81

149.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$1.11 ¥7.61

1.80%

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

$22.7K ¥155.3K

$18.0K ¥122.9K

26.36%

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

$20.7K ¥141.2K

$16.5K ¥112.8K

25.17%

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

$67.5 ¥461

$36.67 ¥250

83.94%

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

$8.23 ¥56.2

$6.12 ¥41.80

34.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.77 ¥87.3

$6.79 ¥46.36

88.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.87 ¥341

$42.26 ¥289

18.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ¥118

$14.10 ¥96.3

22.70%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 ¥48.69

$5.60 ¥38.26

27.32%

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

$454 ¥3,099

$335 ¥2,289

35.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K ¥138.5K

$26.5K ¥181.0K

-23.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.09 ¥328

$29.16 ¥199

64.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 ¥210

$28.29 ¥193

8.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ¥525

$58.6 ¥400

31.35%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 ¥537

$60.4 ¥412

30.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,973

$283 ¥1,931

157.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ¥2,747

$188 ¥1,287

113.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 ¥11.4K

$584 ¥3,986

186.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,329

$359 ¥2,455

157.76%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.3K ¥90.7K

$3,159 ¥21.6K

320.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,100 ¥41.7K

$1,712 ¥11.7K

256.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,640 ¥11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.74

8.02%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Nanchong: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $728 in Shenzhen versus $283 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 $28 in Shenzhen versus $21 in Nanchong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $233 vs $183 – 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: $1,016 in Shenzhen, $648 in Nanchong – roughly 57% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,524 per month in Shenzhen and $972 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 $454 per month in Shenzhen and $335 in Nanchong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 27% 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 $648, than in Shenzhen at $1,016. 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.