Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Rui'an

For one person, living is cheaper in Rui'an: $714 a month against $1,131 in Shenzhen, rent and utilities included – about $5,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

55

Cost of Living Index in Shenzhen
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Shenzhen Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Rui'an
Learn more

Rui'an Living Index

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Shenzhen

🇨🇳 China

$1,131

/mo nomad

Rui'an

🇨🇳 China

$714

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shenzhen and in Rui'an

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shenzhen and in Rui'an actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,131 in Shenzhen versus $714 in Rui'an.

Shenzhen $1,131
Rui'an $714

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,741 in Shenzhen versus $1,133 in Rui'an.

Shenzhen $1,741
Rui'an $1,133

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,352 in Shenzhen versus $1,552 in Rui'an.

Shenzhen $2,352
Rui'an $1,552

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 58% more expensive than in Rui'an, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Rui'an 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 ¥24.93

$2.83 ¥18.91

31.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.92 ¥200

$21.42 ¥143

39.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥35.83

$4.92 ¥32.91

8.94%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.66

$3.11 ¥20.77

9.00%

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

$0.55 ¥3.67

$0.43 ¥2.89

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.29 ¥1.96

20.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ¥9.84

$0.92 ¥6.17

59.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥14.50

$2.06 ¥13.79

5.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥10.64

$1.85 ¥12.39

-14.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ¥10.88

$1.61 ¥10.73

1.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.59

$0.95 ¥6.34

20.00%

Eggs

$1.78 ¥11.89

$1.55 ¥10.38

14.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.25 ¥142

$12.91 ¥86.3

64.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 ¥23.10

$3.24 ¥21.64

6.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 ¥98.2

$10.13 ¥67.7

45.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$1.79 ¥11.95

24.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.73

$1.20 ¥8.03

34.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.54 ¥10.32

22.73%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.41

$1.14 ¥7.64

23.68%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.95

$0.69 ¥4.61

50.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$0.92 ¥6.14

35.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.60 ¥4.00

-6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.05

$0.55 ¥3.70

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ¥29.30

$3.22 ¥21.50

36.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥78.4

$10.43 ¥69.7

12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ¥6.53

$0.74 ¥4.93

32.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.21

$1.65 ¥11.04

10.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.27 ¥1.80

111.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.57 ¥151

$16.57 ¥111

36.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ¥10.15

$1.38 ¥9.21

10.14%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.32 ¥2.17

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.99 ¥46.71

$6.72 ¥44.95

4.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ¥9.02

$1.13 ¥7.53

19.47%

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

$19.8K ¥132.4K

$19.4K ¥130.0K

1.87%

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

$17.9K ¥119.8K

$17.4K ¥116.1K

3.12%

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

$62.8 ¥420

$44.23 ¥296

41.89%

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

$10.25 ¥68.5

$10.04 ¥67.1

2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.36 ¥109

$11.61 ¥77.6

40.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.52 ¥331

$41.34 ¥276

19.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.32 ¥116

$13.91 ¥93.0

24.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.1

$5.77 ¥38.60

32.41%

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

$526 ¥3,519

$341 ¥2,279

54.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K ¥164.1K

$16.5K ¥110.6K

48.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ¥369

$43.27 ¥289

27.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.99 ¥267

$30.29 ¥203

32.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥484

$71.0 ¥475

1.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ¥620

$72.3 ¥484

28.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ¥5,158

$275 ¥1,839

180.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 ¥3,195

$192 ¥1,285

148.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ¥13.3K

$600 ¥4,010

230.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥5,696

$362 ¥2,418

135.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥91.2K

$3,056 ¥20.4K

346.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,013 ¥40.2K

$2,008 ¥13.4K

199.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,751 ¥11.7K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.89

-13.88%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: October 20, 2026

Last update for Rui'an: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shenzhen

$478 42.3%

Rui'an

$192 26.9% 59.8% $286

Groceries & Markets

Shenzhen

$251 22.2%

Rui'an

$199 27.8% 21% $53

Clothing & Footwear

Shenzhen

$117 10.4%

Rui'an

$98 13.7% 16.6% $19

Eating Out

Shenzhen

$102 9%

Rui'an

$86 12.1% 15.3% $16

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shenzhen

$89 7.9%

Rui'an

$66 9.2% 26.3% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Shenzhen

$65 5.7%

Rui'an

$53 7.4% 18.4% $12

Getting Around

Shenzhen

$28 2.5%

Rui'an

$21 2.9% 27% $7.6

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $771 in Shenzhen and $275 in Rui'an. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $21.00 in Rui'an for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $199 per month, with Rui'an cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shenzhen

🇨🇳 Rui'an

🕒 Local time

19:37 7:37 PM

Same time as Shenzhen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,528,300

213,600

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Shenzhen Rui'an 880 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Shenzhen
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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 Rui'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rui'an wins on cost – living expenses run 58% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Rui'an the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,696 in Shenzhen and $1,071 in Rui'an 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: $771 in Shenzhen versus $275 in Rui'an. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rui'an – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $30.00 in Shenzhen. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,131 per month in Shenzhen versus $714 in Rui'an – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $714 in Rui'an versus $1,131 in Shenzhen, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Rui'an but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Rui'an 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.

Safety-wise, Shenzhen and Rui'an are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Rui'an gentler on the wallet – expenses run 58% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.