Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhanjiang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhanjiang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,037 in Shenzhen versus $720 in Zhanjiang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,659 in Shenzhen versus $1,143 in Zhanjiang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,280 in Shenzhen versus $1,566 in Zhanjiang.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 44% more expensive than Zhanjiang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 23% lower, Zhanjiang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.13 ¥21.17

$2.87 ¥19.39

9.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.51 ¥186

$17.18 ¥116

60.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.06 ¥34.24

$5.60 ¥37.89

-9.64%

Cappuccino

$3.33 ¥22.51

$3.53 ¥23.85

-5.67%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.43 ¥2.93

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.28 ¥1.89

$0.27 ¥1.81

3.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.28

$0.88 ¥5.94

38.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.13

$2.15 ¥14.55

31.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.73 ¥11.71

$1.77 ¥11.99

-2.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$1.52 ¥10.30

29.61%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.34

$0.97 ¥6.54

26.80%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.09

$1.20 ¥8.11

61.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.76 ¥86.3

$12.77 ¥86.4

-0.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.42

$3.10 ¥20.96

30.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.47 ¥91.1

$10.40 ¥70.4

29.52%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.69

$1.80 ¥12.20

4.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.22 ¥8.24

15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$1.35 ¥9.14

34.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥9.08

$1.41 ¥9.57

-4.96%

Potato (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$0.71 ¥4.82

47.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.91

$0.92 ¥6.22

58.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 ¥4.78

$0.61 ¥4.11

16.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.51 ¥3.47

11.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥22.87

$3.21 ¥21.70

5.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.92 ¥87.4

$11.69 ¥79.1

10.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.38

$0.79 ¥5.34

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.65

$1.61 ¥10.87

16.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.72

$0.29 ¥1.99

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.76 ¥147

$16.69 ¥113

30.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.42 ¥9.58

14.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.36 ¥2.41

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.47

$6.52 ¥44.08

7.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥7.98

$1.18 ¥8.00

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

$22.9K ¥154.8K

$19.0K ¥128.4K

20.65%

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

$20.7K ¥140.2K

$17.0K ¥114.7K

22.31%

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

$65.3 ¥442

$46.28 ¥313

41.16%

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

$8.20 ¥55.5

$9.98 ¥67.5

-17.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.64 ¥78.7

12.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$50.3 ¥340

$41.95 ¥284

19.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.39 ¥118

$14.01 ¥94.8

24.13%

Cinema Ticket

$6.86 ¥46.44

$6.16 ¥41.65

11.36%

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

$457 ¥3,090

$336 ¥2,276

35.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$20.8K ¥141.0K

$16.8K ¥113.8K

23.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.25 ¥333

$43.50 ¥294

13.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.67 ¥207

$30.44 ¥206

0.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ¥502

$72.3 ¥489

2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.2 ¥542

$75.2 ¥509

6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$737 ¥4,984

$282 ¥1,909

161.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$411 ¥2,782

$189 ¥1,276

118.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,692 ¥11.4K

$595 ¥4,024

184.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$903 ¥6,109

$366 ¥2,476

146.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.1K ¥88.9K

$3,539 ¥23.9K

271.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,222 ¥42.1K

$1,984 ¥13.4K

213.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,665 ¥11.3K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.04

3.87

4.39%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: May 31, 2026

Last update for Zhanjiang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $737 in Shenzhen and $282 in Zhanjiang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $28.00 in Shenzhen vs $17.00 in Zhanjiang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $230 vs $199 per month, with Zhanjiang 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 Zhanjiang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhanjiang wins on cost – living expenses run 44% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhanjiang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,556 in Shenzhen and $1,079 in Zhanjiang 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: $737 in Shenzhen versus $282 in Zhanjiang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zhanjiang runs roughly 30% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Shenzhen versus $336 in Zhanjiang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $720 in Zhanjiang versus $1,037 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhanjiang but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Zhanjiang 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 Zhanjiang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 44% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.