Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhangzhou

For one person, living is cheaper in Zhangzhou: $716 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 Zhangzhou
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Zhangzhou Living Index

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Shenzhen

🇨🇳 China

$1,131

/mo nomad

Zhangzhou

🇨🇳 China

$716

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shenzhen and in Zhangzhou

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 Zhangzhou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,131 in Shenzhen versus $716 in Zhangzhou.

Shenzhen $1,131
Zhangzhou $716

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,741 in Shenzhen versus $1,132 in Zhangzhou.

Shenzhen $1,741
Zhangzhou $1,132

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,352 in Shenzhen versus $1,547 in Zhangzhou.

Shenzhen $2,352
Zhangzhou $1,547

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Zhangzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.73 ¥24.93

$2.74 ¥18.35

36.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.92 ¥200

$21.73 ¥145

37.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥35.83

$4.80 ¥32.11

11.67%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.66

$3.05 ¥20.39

11.15%

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

$0.55 ¥3.67

$0.47 ¥3.16

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.27 ¥1.78

29.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ¥9.84

$0.90 ¥6.01

63.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥14.50

$2.06 ¥13.75

5.34%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.59 ¥10.64

$1.81 ¥12.13

-12.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.63 ¥10.88

$1.59 ¥10.65

2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.59

$0.90 ¥6.03

26.67%

Eggs

$1.78 ¥11.89

$1.55 ¥10.35

14.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$21.25 ¥142

$12.58 ¥84.1

68.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.45 ¥23.10

$3.15 ¥21.08

9.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.69 ¥98.2

$10.14 ¥67.8

44.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$1.86 ¥12.45

19.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.73

$1.25 ¥8.36

28.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.48 ¥9.91

27.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.41

$1.10 ¥7.38

28.18%

Potato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.95

$0.73 ¥4.88

42.47%

Onion (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$0.91 ¥6.11

37.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.55 ¥3.70

1.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.05

$0.56 ¥3.72

8.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.38 ¥29.30

$3.06 ¥20.49

43.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥78.4

$10.62 ¥71.0

10.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 ¥6.53

$0.73 ¥4.89

34.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.21

$1.58 ¥10.55

15.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.29 ¥1.95

96.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.57 ¥151

$16.89 ¥113

33.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ¥10.15

$1.41 ¥9.43

7.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.32 ¥2.17

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.99 ¥46.71

$6.55 ¥43.79

6.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ¥9.02

$1.12 ¥7.48

20.54%

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

$19.8K ¥132.4K

$19.1K ¥127.9K

3.53%

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

$17.9K ¥119.8K

$17.2K ¥115.3K

3.89%

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

$62.8 ¥420

$45.55 ¥305

37.78%

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

$10.25 ¥68.5

$9.74 ¥65.1

5.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.36 ¥109

$11.81 ¥79.0

38.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.52 ¥331

$41.19 ¥275

20.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.32 ¥116

$13.66 ¥91.4

26.79%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.1

$5.94 ¥39.75

28.62%

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

$526 ¥3,519

$337 ¥2,251

56.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.5K ¥164.1K

$16.7K ¥111.4K

47.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.1 ¥369

$43.23 ¥289

27.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.99 ¥267

$30.11 ¥201

32.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥484

$71.1 ¥476

1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.7 ¥620

$72.8 ¥487

27.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$771 ¥5,158

$282 ¥1,886

173.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$478 ¥3,195

$196 ¥1,308

144.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,984 ¥13.3K

$584 ¥3,902

239.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$852 ¥5,696

$361 ¥2,411

136.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥91.2K

$2,977 ¥19.9K

358.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,013 ¥40.2K

$2,003 ¥13.4K

200.19%

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 Zhangzhou: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shenzhen

$478 42.3%

Zhangzhou

$196 27.3% 59.1% $282

Groceries & Markets

Shenzhen

$251 22.2%

Zhangzhou

$197 27.5% 21.7% $54

Clothing & Footwear

Shenzhen

$117 10.4%

Zhangzhou

$98 13.7% 16.5% $19

Eating Out

Shenzhen

$102 9%

Zhangzhou

$85 11.8% 17% $17

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shenzhen

$89 7.9%

Zhangzhou

$67 9.4% 24.9% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Shenzhen

$65 5.7%

Zhangzhou

$53 7.4% 18.1% $12

Getting Around

Shenzhen

$28 2.5%

Zhangzhou

$21 2.9% 25.4% $7.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $771 in Shenzhen and $282 in Zhangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $22.00 in Zhangzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $251 vs $197 per month, with Zhangzhou cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shenzhen

🇨🇳 Zhangzhou

🕒 Local time

09:32 9:32 AM

Same time as Shenzhen

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

12,528,300

4,809,983

💱 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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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 Zhangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

You'd need roughly $1,696 in Shenzhen and $1,074 in Zhangzhou 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 $282 in Zhangzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zhangzhou runs roughly 34% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $526 in Shenzhen versus $337 in Zhangzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $716 in Zhangzhou versus $1,131 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhangzhou but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Zhangzhou 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 Zhangzhou 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 Zhangzhou 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.