Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nanyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Nanyang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $726 in Nanyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,125 in Nanyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,524 in Nanyang, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 43% more than Nanyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shenzhen and Nanyang are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Nanyang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.19

$2.85 ¥19.31

9.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$21.63 ¥147

27.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.28

$4.96 ¥33.60

2.02%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.53

$3.08 ¥20.84

8.12%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.46 ¥3.13

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.90

$0.29 ¥1.99

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$0.90 ¥6.09

35.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.15

$2.13 ¥14.44

32.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.73

$1.85 ¥12.52

-6.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.36

$1.54 ¥10.41

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.35

$0.95 ¥6.43

29.47%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.11

$1.54 ¥10.43

25.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.4

$12.67 ¥85.8

0.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.45

$3.12 ¥21.15

29.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$10.05 ¥68.1

34.03%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.70

$1.82 ¥12.30

3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.21 ¥8.22

16.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.33

$1.53 ¥10.36

18.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.09

$1.13 ¥7.69

18.58%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.10

$0.74 ¥5.00

41.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.92

$0.96 ¥6.51

52.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.56 ¥3.81

26.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.52 ¥3.50

9.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.90

$3.05 ¥20.67

10.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.5

$10.53 ¥71.3

22.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.81 ¥5.48

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.66

$1.66 ¥11.25

12.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.29 ¥1.97

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.62 ¥113

30.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.03

$1.38 ¥9.34

18.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.32 ¥2.20

9.37%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.52

$6.75 ¥45.72

4.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.99

$1.12 ¥7.58

5.36%

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

$22.9K ¥155.0K

$19.2K ¥129.7K

19.53%

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

$20.7K ¥140.4K

$17.3K ¥116.9K

20.10%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$44.64 ¥302

46.35%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$10.00 ¥67.7

-18.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.4

$11.62 ¥78.7

12.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$41.95 ¥284

19.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$13.67 ¥92.6

27.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.49

$6.06 ¥41.06

13.20%

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

$457 ¥3,094

$339 ¥2,295

34.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.2K

$16.9K ¥114.7K

23.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥334

$44.48 ¥301

10.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥208

$31.02 ¥210

-1.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥503

$72.1 ¥488

3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥543

$70.8 ¥480

13.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,990

$277 ¥1,873

166.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,785

$191 ¥1,293

115.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.5K

$602 ¥4,076

181.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,116

$364 ¥2,468

147.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥89.0K

$3,086 ¥20.9K

325.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$2,036 ¥13.8K

205.56%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.89

3.86%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Nanyang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $277 in Nanyang. 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 $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $22.00 in Nanyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $197 – making Nanyang 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 Nanyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen, $726 in Nanyang – roughly 43% apart. Shenzhen costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $1,089 in Nanyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,037 in Shenzhen and $726 in Nanyang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 31% less in Nanyang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nanyang, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Nanyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nanyang – 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 Nanyang. 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.