Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhoushan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shenzhen and Zhoushan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,139 in Shenzhen versus $628 in Zhoushan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,731 in Shenzhen versus $1,015 in Zhoushan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,322 in Shenzhen versus $1,403 in Zhoushan.

Living in Shenzhen is roughly 81% more expensive than in Zhoushan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shenzhen 17% lower, Zhoushan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.02 ¥26.92

$3.35 ¥22.47

20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.93 ¥201

$18.88 ¥127

58.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.28 ¥35.38

$3.98 ¥26.65

32.66%

Cappuccino

$3.36 ¥22.49

$3.01 ¥20.19

11.63%

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

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.43 ¥2.89

25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.27 ¥1.81

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.46 ¥9.77

$0.71 ¥4.75

105.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.09

$1.87 ¥12.55

20.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.87 ¥12.51

-12.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.00

$2.08 ¥13.96

-13.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.88

$0.87 ¥5.86

35.63%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.32

$1.05 ¥7.02

60.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$22.03 ¥148

$13.35 ¥89.5

65.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.62 ¥24.23

$3.33 ¥22.30

8.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.16 ¥94.9

$11.01 ¥73.8

28.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.19 ¥14.65

$1.47 ¥9.82

48.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$1.17 ¥7.84

32.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.51 ¥10.11

25.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.89

$1.18 ¥7.91

25.42%

Potato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.94

$0.58 ¥3.88

103.45%

Onion (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.28

$0.79 ¥5.30

93.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.63 ¥4.23

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.58 ¥3.90

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.54 ¥30.40

$5.17 ¥34.67

-12.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.65 ¥84.8

$12.06 ¥80.8

4.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.08

$0.91 ¥6.11

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$2.17 ¥14.54

-14.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.12

$0.31 ¥2.09

96.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.16 ¥148

$14.76 ¥98.9

50.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.53 ¥10.24

-3.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.43 ¥2.88

-6.98%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.25 ¥48.62

$9.12 ¥61.1

-20.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.36

$1.17 ¥7.83

6.84%

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

$19.1K ¥127.8K

$19.6K ¥131.6K

-2.92%

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

$18.1K ¥121.5K

$16.4K ¥109.9K

10.61%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$35.86 ¥240

71.67%

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

$9.91 ¥66.4

$11.74 ¥78.7

-15.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.09 ¥101

$26.98 ¥181

-44.07%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.53 ¥332

$24.40 ¥164

102.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.99 ¥114

$7.57 ¥50.7

124.44%

Cinema Ticket

$7.35 ¥49.27

$6.09 ¥40.82

20.69%

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

$525 ¥3,516

$438 ¥2,932

19.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.0K ¥161.1K

$16.0K ¥107.3K

50.17%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.95 ¥335

$34.56 ¥232

44.53%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.26 ¥270

$21.67 ¥145

85.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.2 ¥464

$65.0 ¥436

6.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.2 ¥578

$44.55 ¥299

93.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$768 ¥5,144

$325 ¥2,178

136.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$466 ¥3,125

$118 ¥794

293.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,818 ¥12.2K

$752 ¥5,036

141.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$855 ¥5,732

$263 ¥1,765

224.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.4K ¥90.0K

$2,948 ¥19.8K

355.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,284 ¥42.1K

$1,969 ¥13.2K

219.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,688 ¥11.3K

$594 ¥3,978

184.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.4

3.13

8.63%

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

Last update for Shenzhen: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zhoushan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $768 in Shenzhen and $325 in Zhoushan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 184% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shenzhen vs $19.00 in Zhoushan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $257 vs $209 per month, with Zhoushan 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 Zhoushan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhoushan wins on cost – living expenses run 81% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Zhoushan the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 184% higher in Shenzhen, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $768 in Shenzhen versus $325 in Zhoushan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zhoushan runs roughly 50% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $525 in Shenzhen versus $438 in Zhoushan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $628 in Zhoushan versus $1,139 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhoushan but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Zhoushan 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 Zhoushan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 81% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.