Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Rizhao Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Rizhao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,016 in Shenzhen versus $754 in Rizhao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,642 in Shenzhen versus $1,190 in Rizhao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,268 in Shenzhen versus $1,625 in Rizhao.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 35% more expensive than Rizhao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 25% lower, Rizhao 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.12 ¥21.34

$3.25 ¥22.18

-4.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.87 ¥190

$18.27 ¥125

52.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.15 ¥35.17

$4.58 ¥31.29

12.45%

Cappuccino

$3.17 ¥21.67

$1.77 ¥12.09

79.10%

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

$0.52 ¥3.58

$0.47 ¥3.22

10.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.22 ¥1.51

36.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.27 ¥8.70

$0.86 ¥5.85

47.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.82 ¥19.26

$2.08 ¥14.17

35.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.47

$1.70 ¥11.63

7.65%

White Bread (500g)

$1.94 ¥13.26

$1.47 ¥10.02

31.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥8.03

$0.41 ¥2.78

187.80%

Eggs

$1.87 ¥12.76

$1.83 ¥12.48

2.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 ¥87.5

$15.09 ¥103

-15.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.86 ¥26.35

$4.12 ¥28.17

-6.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.49 ¥92.2

$10.18 ¥69.6

32.51%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.49

$1.33 ¥9.05

37.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.68

$0.93 ¥6.33

52.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.82

$0.72 ¥4.92

140.28%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.50

$1.02 ¥6.95

36.27%

Potato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.25

$0.71 ¥4.84

49.30%

Onion (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.70

$1.13 ¥7.69

25.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.69 ¥4.71

$0.93 ¥6.33

-25.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.12

$0.47 ¥3.24

27.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥23.07

$3.92 ¥26.77

-13.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.51 ¥99.1

$10.06 ¥68.7

44.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.32

$1.00 ¥6.85

-7.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 ¥12.67

$1.52 ¥10.35

22.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.27 ¥1.83

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.43 ¥153

$16.89 ¥115

32.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$1.09 ¥7.42

50.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.31 ¥2.15

12.90%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.85 ¥46.79

$7.20 ¥49.15

-4.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$1.14 ¥7.79

-0.88%

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

$22.7K ¥155.3K

$20.5K ¥139.8K

11.10%

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

$20.7K ¥141.2K

$13.4K ¥91.2K

54.80%

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

$67.5 ¥461

$50.8 ¥347

32.70%

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

$8.23 ¥56.2

$11.02 ¥75.3

-25.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.77 ¥87.3

$10.59 ¥72.4

20.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.87 ¥341

$41.52 ¥284

20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.30 ¥118

$13.83 ¥94.5

25.09%

Cinema Ticket

$7.13 ¥48.69

$6.85 ¥46.77

4.09%

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

$454 ¥3,099

$334 ¥2,284

35.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.3K ¥138.5K

$17.0K ¥116.1K

19.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.09 ¥328

$76.4 ¥522

-37.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.71 ¥210

$37.66 ¥257

-18.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.9 ¥525

$80.6 ¥551

-4.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.7 ¥537

$102 ¥699

-23.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$728 ¥4,973

$283 ¥1,935

157.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$402 ¥2,747

$190 ¥1,299

111.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,674 ¥11.4K

$594 ¥4,057

181.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,329

$365 ¥2,495

153.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.3K ¥90.7K

$3,365 ¥23.0K

294.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,100 ¥41.7K

$1,706 ¥11.7K

257.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,640 ¥11.2K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.81

6.04%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: April 12, 2026

Last update for Rizhao: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $728 in Shenzhen and $283 in Rizhao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28 in Shenzhen vs $18 in Rizhao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $233 vs $199 per month, with Rizhao 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 Rizhao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shenzhen and Rizhao differ by about 35% in total monthly costs ($1,016 vs $754 including rent). Rizhao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,524 in Shenzhen and $1,131 in Rizhao to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $728 in Shenzhen versus $283 in Rizhao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rizhao – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $28.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,016 per month in Shenzhen versus $754 in Rizhao – a 35% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $754 in Rizhao versus $1,016 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rizhao but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Rizhao 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 Rizhao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 35% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.