Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Quezon City Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Quezon City

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,037 per month in Shenzhen vs $906 in Quezon City, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,659 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,375 in Quezon City, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,280 per month in Shenzhen vs $1,844 in Quezon City, rent included.

Shenzhen costs about 14% more than Quezon City, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both Shenzhen and Quezon City are more affordable than the global median – Shenzhen 23% lower, Quezon City 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.16

$4.89 ₱302

-35.99%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$21.49 ₱1,325

28.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.22

$3.12 ₱192

62.18%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.50

$2.85 ₱176

16.84%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.92 ₱56.8

-47.83%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.38 ₱23.27

-26.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$1.22 ₱75.3

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.12

$2.71 ₱167

4.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$2.16 ₱133

-19.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.34

$1.20 ₱74.1

64.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.34

$1.08 ₱66.4

13.89%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.09

$2.03 ₱125

-4.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$7.10 ₱438

79.72%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.41

$4.24 ₱261

-4.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$7.39 ₱456

82.27%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.68

$4.36 ₱269

-56.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.60 ₱98.6

-11.88%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.31

$2.98 ₱184

-38.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$1.63 ₱101

-17.79%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$2.89 ₱178

-63.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$4.16 ₱256

-64.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$1.57 ₱97.0

-54.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$1.05 ₱64.5

-45.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.86

$3.13 ₱193

7.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$7.20 ₱444

79.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$1.55 ₱95.4

-39.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.64

$2.02 ₱125

-7.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.46 ₱28.17

-13.04%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.01

$0.84 ₱51.6

94.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.25 ₱15.24

40.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.44

$2.16 ₱133

225.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.09 ₱67.1

8.26%

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

$22.9K ¥154.8K

$25.3K ₱1.6M

-9.36%

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

$20.7K ¥140.2K

$20.2K ₱1.2M

2.46%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$161 ₱9,945

-59.49%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$33.64 ₱2,074

-75.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.2

$30.00 ₱1,850

-56.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$24.35 ₱1,501

106.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$6.34 ₱391

174.29%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.41

$7.22 ₱445

-4.99%

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

$457 ¥3,089

$79.8 ₱4,920

472.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.0K

$2,821 ₱173.9K

639.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$31.80 ₱1,961

54.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$29.11 ₱1,795

5.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$98.7 ₱6,085

-24.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$95.6 ₱5,894

-16.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,981

$274 ₱16.9K

169.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,780

$198 ₱12.2K

107.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$737 ₱45.5K

129.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,106

$430 ₱26.5K

110.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$2,363 ₱145.7K

456.16%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,479 ₱91.2K

320.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

$436 ₱26.9K

281.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

8.13

-50.31%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Quezon City: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $737 in Shenzhen versus $274 in Quezon City. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 282% higher in Shenzhen, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Shenzhen versus $21.00 in Quezon City. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $230 vs $224 – making Quezon City 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 Quezon City: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen costs about 14% more than Quezon City, with the gap driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,556 per month in Shenzhen and $1,359 in Quezon City. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quezon City, 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 $906 in Quezon City. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $457 per month in Shenzhen and $79.8 in Quezon City. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Quezon City, where all-in costs run around $906, than in Shenzhen at $1,037. In Quezon City it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shenzhen it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Quezon City costs $906 versus $1,037 in Shenzhen. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Quezon City. 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.