Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nanning Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nanning

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,000 in Shenzhen versus $693 in Nanning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,640 in Shenzhen versus $1,089 in Nanning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,281 in Shenzhen versus $1,484 in Nanning.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 44% more expensive than Nanning, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 26% lower, Nanning 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.29 ¥22.23

$2.73 ¥18.49

20.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 ¥188

$19.02 ¥129

45.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.08 ¥34.33

$5.30 ¥35.84

-4.15%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥22.19

$2.20 ¥14.89

49.09%

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

$0.48 ¥3.23

$0.56 ¥3.76

-14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.84

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.26 ¥8.53

$0.82 ¥5.54

53.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.71

$2.33 ¥15.73

18.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.89

$1.70 ¥11.53

3.53%

White Bread (500g)

$2.04 ¥13.80

$1.10 ¥7.43

85.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.32

$1.03 ¥6.99

19.42%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥12.91

$1.55 ¥10.48

23.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.89 ¥87.2

$9.18 ¥62.1

40.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.02 ¥27.16

$3.38 ¥22.88

18.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.81 ¥93.4

$14.80 ¥100

-6.69%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.70

$1.95 ¥13.15

-3.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.96

$1.06 ¥7.20

38.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.69

$1.20 ¥8.12

44.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.55

$1.62 ¥10.96

-12.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.86 ¥5.82

27.91%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.96

$1.14 ¥7.69

28.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.75 ¥5.09

$0.46 ¥3.12

63.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.51 ¥3.43

19.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.84

$3.56 ¥24.04

-0.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.14 ¥88.9

$14.57 ¥98.5

-9.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.86 ¥5.81

8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.86

$1.80 ¥12.16

5.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.70

$0.50 ¥3.41

-20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.52 ¥152

$14.72 ¥99.5

52.99%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.27 ¥8.57

33.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.51

$0.36 ¥2.46

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.35

$7.47 ¥50.5

-8.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$1.14 ¥7.70

-0.88%

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

$22.8K ¥154.3K

$21.4K ¥144.7K

6.63%

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

$20.1K ¥135.6K

$12.7K ¥85.7K

58.25%

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

$67.3 ¥455

$39.71 ¥269

69.40%

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

$8.52 ¥57.6

$13.27 ¥89.7

-35.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.10 ¥88.6

$10.77 ¥72.8

21.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.62 ¥336

$68.8 ¥465

-27.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.24 ¥117

$6.77 ¥45.75

154.65%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ¥46.35

$5.66 ¥38.25

21.02%

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

$466 ¥3,149

$299 ¥2,019

55.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.5K

$14.0K ¥94.5K

47.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.14 ¥332

$18.85 ¥127

160.69%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.85 ¥202

$27.69 ¥187

7.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ¥516

$63.8 ¥431

19.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 ¥541

$102 ¥688

-21.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$738 ¥4,988

$236 ¥1,597

212.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$405 ¥2,741

$146 ¥990

176.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,655 ¥11.2K

$350 ¥2,366

372.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$920 ¥6,220

$272 ¥1,840

237.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.9K ¥87.4K

$3,469 ¥23.5K

272.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,050 ¥40.9K

$1,453 ¥9,822

316.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,660 ¥11.2K

$678 ¥4,583

144.98%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

4.18

-3.35%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: June 9, 2026

Last update for Nanning: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $738 in Shenzhen and $236 in Nanning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 145% 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: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $19.00 in Nanning for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $206 per month, with Nanning cheaper across the board.

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 Nanning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Nanning differ by about 44% in total monthly costs ($1,000 vs $693 including rent). Nanning is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shenzhen pays 145% more on average, 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: $738 in Shenzhen versus $236 in Nanning. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nanning runs roughly 53% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $466 in Shenzhen versus $299 in Nanning. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $693 in Nanning versus $1,000 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nanning but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Nanning 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 Nanning gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.