Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $999 in Shenzhen versus $726 in Zhangzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,664 in Shenzhen versus $1,131 in Zhangzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,329 in Shenzhen versus $1,535 in Zhangzhou.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 38% more expensive than in Zhangzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 25% lower, Zhangzhou 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.25 ¥22.00

$2.86 ¥19.36

13.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.48 ¥186

$21.75 ¥147

26.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.87 ¥32.99

$4.93 ¥33.40

-1.22%

Cappuccino

$3.26 ¥22.11

$2.99 ¥20.27

9.03%

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

$0.48 ¥3.22

$0.47 ¥3.18

2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.87

$0.29 ¥1.98

-3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.25

$0.95 ¥6.43

28.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.86 ¥19.38

$2.05 ¥13.87

39.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.94

$1.80 ¥12.19

-2.22%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.21

$1.57 ¥10.61

24.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.32

$0.96 ¥6.49

28.13%

Eggs

$1.85 ¥12.53

$1.54 ¥10.45

20.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.78 ¥86.6

$12.89 ¥87.3

-0.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.00 ¥27.09

$3.25 ¥22.03

23.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.50 ¥91.4

$10.14 ¥68.7

33.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.10

$1.81 ¥12.24

-1.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.62

$1.22 ¥8.24

16.39%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.72

$1.47 ¥9.97

17.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.51

$1.13 ¥7.67

23.89%

Potato (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.51

$0.70 ¥4.73

58.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.40 ¥9.49

$0.90 ¥6.07

55.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.76

$0.57 ¥3.85

22.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.90

$0.54 ¥3.69

7.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.56 ¥24.09

$3.15 ¥21.30

13.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.46 ¥84.4

$10.61 ¥71.8

17.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.90 ¥6.09

$0.80 ¥5.40

12.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 ¥12.39

$1.64 ¥11.10

11.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

48.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.85 ¥148

$16.54 ¥112

32.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.71 ¥11.59

$1.36 ¥9.23

25.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.33 ¥2.23

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.54

$6.80 ¥46.03

3.24%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.00

$1.16 ¥7.89

1.72%

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

$23.1K ¥156.4K

$19.6K ¥132.7K

17.85%

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

$20.7K ¥139.9K

$17.1K ¥116.1K

20.48%

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

$67.3 ¥456

$44.85 ¥304

50.12%

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

$8.26 ¥55.9

$10.09 ¥68.4

-18.14%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$12.86 ¥87.1

$11.80 ¥79.9

8.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.95 ¥338

$41.11 ¥278

21.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.27 ¥117

$13.84 ¥93.7

24.78%

Cinema Ticket

$7.00 ¥47.44

$5.99 ¥40.53

16.86%

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

$460 ¥3,118

$334 ¥2,262

37.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.4K ¥138.3K

$16.7K ¥113.3K

22.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.14 ¥333

$44.31 ¥300

10.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.64 ¥207

$29.93 ¥203

2.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ¥510

$71.3 ¥483

5.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.8 ¥533

$73.3 ¥496

7.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 ¥5,016

$283 ¥1,915

161.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,784

$190 ¥1,286

116.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,708 ¥11.6K

$587 ¥3,975

191.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,164

$357 ¥2,421

154.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$12.5K ¥84.8K

$3,012 ¥20.4K

315.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,184 ¥41.9K

$2,010 ¥13.6K

207.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.8K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.89

3.86%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: July 20, 2026

Last update for Zhangzhou: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $741 in Shenzhen and $283 in Zhangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $27.00 in Shenzhen vs $22.00 in Zhangzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $229 vs $198 per month, with Zhangzhou 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 Zhangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhangzhou wins on cost – living expenses run 38% 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 $1,499 in Shenzhen and $1,089 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: $741 in Shenzhen versus $283 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 32% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $460 in Shenzhen versus $334 in Zhangzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $726 in Zhangzhou versus $999 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 38% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.