Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Quanzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Quanzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,017 in Shenzhen versus $774 in Quanzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,653 in Shenzhen versus $1,142 in Quanzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,289 in Shenzhen versus $1,510 in Quanzhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 32% more expensive than in Quanzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 24% lower, Quanzhou 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.24 ¥21.85

$2.14 ¥14.48

51.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.75 ¥187

$23.42 ¥158

18.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥34.73

$5.74 ¥38.72

-10.28%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.68

$2.71 ¥18.31

18.45%

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

$0.49 ¥3.28

$0.51 ¥3.45

-3.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.03

$0.27 ¥1.82

11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.28 ¥8.66

$1.41 ¥9.53

-9.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.05

$2.98 ¥20.11

-5.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.35 ¥9.12

32.59%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ¥13.54

$0.73 ¥4.92

175.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.97

$0.77 ¥5.18

53.25%

Eggs

$1.92 ¥12.94

$1.13 ¥7.65

69.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.60 ¥85.1

$11.35 ¥76.6

11.01%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.84 ¥25.93

$2.27 ¥15.35

69.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥90.9

$10.99 ¥74.2

22.57%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$2.48 ¥16.72

-27.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$1.14 ¥7.68

28.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.79

$1.49 ¥10.05

17.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.47

$1.93 ¥13.00

-27.46%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.13

$0.97 ¥6.54

9.28%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.59

$1.72 ¥11.60

-17.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.81 ¥5.45

-8.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.54 ¥3.67

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.57 ¥24.11

$2.87 ¥19.38

24.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.23 ¥82.6

$7.22 ¥48.75

69.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.85

$0.79 ¥5.35

10.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.90 ¥12.81

$1.58 ¥10.67

20.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.71

$0.29 ¥1.96

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.39 ¥151

$33.49 ¥226

-33.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.05

$1.13 ¥7.63

45.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.26 ¥1.74

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.98 ¥47.11

$6.48 ¥43.77

7.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.93

$1.16 ¥7.84

0.86%

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

$23.0K ¥155.5K

$15.5K ¥104.3K

48.99%

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

$20.6K ¥139.2K

$14.0K ¥94.2K

47.80%

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

$65.5 ¥442

$38.59 ¥261

69.66%

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

$8.42 ¥56.8

$4.16 ¥28.09

102.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.94 ¥87.3

$11.41 ¥77.0

13.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.1 ¥338

$41.61 ¥281

20.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.73 ¥120

$28.00 ¥189

-36.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.85 ¥46.24

$5.55 ¥37.46

23.42%

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

$452 ¥3,053

$116 ¥781

290.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.6K ¥139.1K

$16.0K ¥108.0K

28.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.37 ¥333

$28.38 ¥192

73.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.72 ¥207

$26.83 ¥181

14.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥519

$83.3 ¥562

-7.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$79.5 ¥537

$80.9 ¥546

-1.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,916

$239 ¥1,613

204.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥2,792

$254 ¥1,713

63.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,661 ¥11.2K

$421 ¥2,843

294.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$900 ¥6,075

$301 ¥2,035

198.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.3K ¥83.3K

$2,980 ¥20.1K

313.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,024 ¥40.7K

$1,994 ¥13.5K

202.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,740 ¥11.7K

$814 ¥5,493

113.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.56

13.48%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 26, 2026

Last update for Quanzhou: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Shenzhen and $239 in Quanzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 114% 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 $23.00 in Quanzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $179 per month, with Quanzhou 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 Quanzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Quanzhou differ by about 32% in total monthly costs ($1,017 vs $774 including rent). Quanzhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 114% 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: $728 in Shenzhen versus $239 in Quanzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Quanzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,017 per month in Shenzhen versus $774 in Quanzhou – a 32% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $774 in Quanzhou versus $1,017 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quanzhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Quanzhou 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 Quanzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 32% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.