Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Tonghua and Shenzhen

For one person, living is cheaper in Tonghua: $632 a month against $1,131 in Shenzhen, rent and utilities included – about $6,000 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

31

Cost of Living Index in Tonghua
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Tonghua Living Index
55

Cost of Living Index in Shenzhen
Learn more

Shenzhen Living Index

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Tonghua

🇨🇳 China

$632

/mo nomad

Shenzhen

🇨🇳 China

$1,131

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Tonghua and in Shenzhen

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $643 in Tonghua versus $1,138 in Shenzhen.

Tonghua $643
Shenzhen $1,138

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,053 in Tonghua versus $1,750 in Shenzhen.

Tonghua $1,053
Shenzhen $1,750

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,463 in Tonghua versus $2,362 in Shenzhen.

Tonghua $1,463
Shenzhen $2,362

Living in Tonghua costs roughly 43% less than in Shenzhen, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Tonghua 52% lower, Shenzhen 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.20 ¥14.74

$3.73 ¥24.93

-41.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.19 ¥148

$29.92 ¥200

-25.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.01

$5.36 ¥35.83

-5.04%

Cappuccino

$2.25 ¥15.07

$3.39 ¥22.66

-33.63%

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

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.55 ¥3.67

-14.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.35

$0.35 ¥2.36

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.79 ¥5.25

$1.47 ¥9.84

-46.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.85 ¥12.38

$2.17 ¥14.50

-14.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.68 ¥11.23

$1.59 ¥10.64

5.66%

White Bread (500g)

$2.14 ¥14.32

$1.63 ¥10.88

31.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.16

$1.14 ¥7.59

-6.14%

Eggs

$1.06 ¥7.09

$1.78 ¥11.89

-40.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.11 ¥87.6

$21.25 ¥142

-38.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.94 ¥19.66

$3.45 ¥23.10

-14.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.54 ¥43.73

$14.69 ¥98.2

-55.48%

Apples (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.60

$2.23 ¥14.94

-55.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.21

$1.61 ¥10.73

-32.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.41

$1.89 ¥12.67

-57.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.23

$1.41 ¥9.41

-23.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.17

$1.04 ¥6.95

-11.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.85

$1.25 ¥8.36

-18.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.56 ¥3.76

5.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.60

$0.61 ¥4.05

13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.64 ¥24.33

$4.38 ¥29.30

-16.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 ¥78.5

$11.72 ¥78.4

0.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.33

$0.98 ¥6.53

-33.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.10 ¥7.38

$1.83 ¥12.21

-39.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.07

$0.57 ¥3.82

-45.61%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.92 ¥120

$22.57 ¥151

-20.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.92 ¥6.14

$1.52 ¥10.15

-39.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.38 ¥2.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.07 ¥20.51

$6.99 ¥46.71

-56.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.74

$1.35 ¥9.02

-2.96%

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

$19.3K ¥129.1K

$19.8K ¥132.4K

-2.50%

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

$17.0K ¥114.0K

$17.9K ¥119.8K

-4.84%

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

$23.25 ¥155

$62.8 ¥420

-62.95%

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

$5.85 ¥39.12

$10.25 ¥68.5

-42.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.98 ¥60.1

$16.36 ¥109

-45.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.90 ¥280

$49.52 ¥331

-15.39%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.09 ¥101

$17.32 ¥116

-12.88%

Cinema Ticket

$5.89 ¥39.36

$7.64 ¥51.1

-22.91%

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

$294 ¥1,969

$526 ¥3,519

-44.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.0K ¥100.6K

$24.5K ¥164.1K

-38.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$22.05 ¥147

$55.1 ¥369

-60.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.01 ¥227

$39.99 ¥267

-14.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.8 ¥393

$72.3 ¥484

-18.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.4 ¥464

$92.7 ¥620

-25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$294 ¥1,965

$771 ¥5,158

-61.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,199

$478 ¥3,195

-62.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$639 ¥4,273

$1,984 ¥13.3K

-67.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 ¥2,509

$852 ¥5,696

-55.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,528 ¥23.6K

$13.6K ¥91.2K

-74.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,980 ¥13.2K

$6,013 ¥40.2K

-67.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$501 ¥3,350

$1,751 ¥11.7K

-71.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

19.40%

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

Last update for Tonghua: October 19, 2026

Last update for Shenzhen: October 20, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Tonghua

$185 29.3%

Shenzhen

$251 22.2% 36.1% $67

Accommodation & Living

Tonghua

$179 28.4%

Shenzhen

$478 42.3% 167% $299

Clothing & Footwear

Tonghua

$83 13.1%

Shenzhen

$117 10.4% 41.2% $34

Eating Out

Tonghua

$71 11.2%

Shenzhen

$102 9% 43.8% $31

Sport & Entertainment

Tonghua

$54 8.5%

Shenzhen

$65 5.7% 20.7% $11

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Tonghua

$38 6%

Shenzhen

$89 7.9% 135% $51

Getting Around

Tonghua

$22 3.5%

Shenzhen

$28 2.5% 28.6% $6.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $301 in Tonghua and $768 in Shenzhen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shenzhen pays 235% 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: $23.00 in Tonghua vs $29.00 in Shenzhen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $191 vs $251 per month, with Tonghua cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Tonghua

🇨🇳 Shenzhen

🕒 Local time

17:40 5:40 PM

Same time as Tonghua

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

446,917

12,528,300

💱 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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Between locations

Tonghua Shenzhen 2,400 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight

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Tonghua
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

Tonghua vs Shenzhen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Tonghua wins on cost – living expenses run 77% lower than in Shenzhen. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Tonghua the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 235% lower in Shenzhen. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $301 in Tonghua versus $768 in Shenzhen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Tonghua runs roughly 22% less than in Shenzhen. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Tonghua versus $538 in Shenzhen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $643 in Tonghua versus $1,138 in Shenzhen, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tonghua but tight or insufficient in Shenzhen. The gap between the two cities makes Tonghua 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 Tonghua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Shenzhen. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.