Cost of Living in Shenzhen
Summary of cost of living in Shenzhen, China:
- The estimated monthly costs for a family of four are 2,143.6$ (14,819.2¥), excluding rent (using our estimator).
- The estimated monthly costs for a single person are 579.7$ (4,007.5¥), excluding rent.
- Shenzhen is 54.4% less expensive than Los Angeles (excluding rent, see our cost of living index).
- Rent in Shenzhen is, on average, 72.1% lower than in Los Angeles.
Restaurants |  Edit |
Range |
|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant | 25.00 ¥ | |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) | 200.00 ¥ | |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) | 31.00 ¥ | |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) | 10.00 ¥ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 15.00 ¥ | |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) | 22.74 ¥ | |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) | 3.55 ¥ | |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) | 1.90 ¥ | |
Markets | Edit |
|
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) | 12.07 ¥ | |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) | 11.66 ¥ | |
| White Rice (1 lb) | 3.69 ¥ | |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) | 12.91 ¥ | |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) | 46.44 ¥ | |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) | 11.61 ¥ | |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) | 43.07 ¥ | |
| Apples (1 lb) | 6.21 ¥ | |
| Bananas (1 lb) | 4.50 ¥ | |
| Oranges (1 lb) | 5.03 ¥ | |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) | 3.97 ¥ | |
| Potatoes (1 lb) | 3.22 ¥ | |
| Onions (1 lb) | 4.31 ¥ | |
| Lettuce (1 Head) | 4.26 ¥ | |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) | 4.19 ¥ | |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) | 93.00 ¥ | |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) | 6.54 ¥ | |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) | 15.12 ¥ | |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) | 25.50 ¥ | |
Transportation | Edit |
|
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) | 3.00 ¥ | |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) | 150.00 ¥ | |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) | 10.00 ¥ | |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) | 4.35 ¥ | |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) | 48.00 ¥ | |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) | 7.92 ¥ | |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) | 129,900.00 ¥ | |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) | 133,175.00 ¥ | |
Utilities (Monthly) | Edit |
|
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) | 464.96 ¥ | |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) | 57.60 ¥ | |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) | 86.93 ¥ | |
Sports And Leisure | Edit |
|
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership | 371.16 ¥ | |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) | 111.25 ¥ | |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) | 50.00 ¥ | |
Childcare | Edit |
|
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child | 3,572.22 ¥ | |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child | 159,000.00 ¥ | |
Clothing And Shoes | Edit |
|
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) | 322.50 ¥ | |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) | 243.44 ¥ | |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) | 508.76 ¥ | |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes | 659.09 ¥ | |
Rent Per Month | Edit |
|
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 4,985.08 ¥ | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 3,104.67 ¥ | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre | 12,928.00 ¥ | |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre | 6,489.17 ¥ | |
Buy Apartment Price | Edit |
|
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre | 8,476.74 ¥ | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre | 3,806.57 ¥ | |
Salaries And Financing | Edit |
|
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) | 11,152.44 ¥ | |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 3.68 | |
Prices in Shenzhen
This city had 891 entries in the past 12 months by 88 different contributors.
Last update: 25 January 2026
Last update: 25 January 2026
Sources and References
Moving to Shenzhen? Explore:
Distribution of Expenses Using Our Statistical Model:
Nearby Cities:| Cost of Living in Shilong | 52.40 miles |
| Cost of Living in Huizhou | 61.84 miles |
| Cost of Living in Guangzhou | 85.88 miles |
| Cost of Living in Yunfu | 205.46 miles |
| Cost of Living in Shaoguan | 213.17 miles |
This Page in Other Languages:
 DeutschLebenshaltungskosten in Shenzhen
|
 PortuguêsCusto de Vida em Shenzhen
|
 ItalianoCosto della vita a Shenzhen
|
 FrançaisCoût de la vie à Shenzhen
|
 EspañolCoste de vida en Shenzhen
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Salary Calculator:Got a job offer in Shenzhen? Estimate your take-home pay with our Salary Calculator for Shenzhen.
Income:
PQE 3 years, Legal Counsel at a publicly listed company — CNY 23,000/month (before tax)
Essential Expenses:
Housing: CNY 4,500/month.
– 41 sqm apartment in downtown Shenzhen (northwestern Futian District).
– Utilities: electricity (CNY 50/month), water (CNY 30/month), gas (varies), internet (CNY 99/month), mobile plan (CNY 50/month).
Food: CNY 1,200/month.
– CNY 30–40 per day; I don’t cook, so this figure may not be fully representative.
Transportation: CNY 240/month.
– Approximately CNY 8 per day.
Fitness: CNY 150/month.
– LeFit gym.
I think the data is correct, we bought a two bedroom apartment in GuangMing last year, it costs about RMB 6500 per month.
And we have a car, it costs about RMB 1500 per mouth including insurance and parking fees;
Daily groceries vagetables and fruit are purchased from Sam”s Club, Hema or the market, totaling about 4000 per month.
But excluding apartment expense, I do not think ShenZhen is a city with high cost of living.
There are many free parks ans wide variety of delicious foods.
Shenzhen's rental cost a lot more especially in the city centre and the deposit for rental differs so it could be double and the agent could also want their cut so that's where most of your cash might go. Rentals are 2 weeks before moving in or immediately. The rest is affordable. Rent ranges wildy between areas from 4500 - 9000 for a bachelor and 6000 - 25 000 for 2 bed or 3.
After taxes, your salary would be $2,645.62 per month. If your offer doesn't include a stipend for rent, then based on Numbeo numbers, you'd need about $1,393.21 per month to live alone in Shenzhen including rent for a downtown 1BR apartment. So, yes, you'd be able to save just a little over $1,000 per month.
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I think it is reasonable. For most people, the monthly cost is between 5000 and 8000 Yuan per month including rent. So you can save money.