Cost of Living in Shenzhen

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  1. #1

    Cost of Living in Shenzhen

    I've heard lots of people mention how cheap it is to live in Shenzhen. I've recently moved to Shenzhen and not found it so cheap...

    A decent apartment (no bad smells, everything works, non-scary neighborhood etc.) costs at least 3500 RMB (same as what I'd pay in a US city). Taxis are not much less expensive than Hong Kong. I don't shop much, but when I do I feel like prices are the same as anywhere else in the world. Eating out also seems not much different than Hong Kong.

    I'm wondering: has the cost of living increased a lot in the last year or two? Or am I just a dumb westerner paying too much for things?


  2. #2

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    It sounds like you are living in either Lo Wu or Shekou, which are going to be more expensive area's to buy restaurant food, especially if it's western.

    If you were living in Nanshan district which is exactly between Lo Wu and Shekou, where most Honkies live, in and around the Crown Plaza Hotel, and if a more local food diet was adopted, your evening meals shouldn't cost you more than $12 RMB take away. Between Hover House Shennan Road and C - Mall. my lunches were not costing me more than Y5.00 RMB, for a conventional take away dish, green veggies with field chicken etc. Also, you can buy pre cooked take away food from the down stairs food court located at WAL-MART, who occupy most of C-MALL in Nanshan. Cost is higher, maybe Y20.00RMB for a decent feed.

    Eat local, in local area's, and living costs will be low, eat in the western eateries, and food costs will be about the same as Hong Kong, as you have already discovered.

    Last edited by Skyhook; 16-01-2009 at 07:45 PM.

  3. #3

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    housing is MUCH cheaper there than you would be paying in hk as well...


  4. #4

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    Quote Originally Posted by philosopherjohn:
    A decent apartment (no bad smells, everything works, non-scary neighborhood etc.) costs at least 3500 RMB (same as what I'd pay in a US city).
    I find this comment interesting. By way of comparison, how much do you think a similar apartment in Hong Kong would cost?

  5. #5

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    Depends on the size of your apartment and in which area of hk but certainly in sheung shui you can get a smallish apt close to that price

    my 450 sq ft in causeway bay would be almost the same if equivalent standard and location in shenzen

    actually you are broadly correct in that the cost of living for the average expat (just a worker drone- not on a package )in shenzen is now approx what it is in hk-very different from say 10 years ago

    this is due mostly due to the drop in the us/hkd and also inflation in shenzen

    food is however much much better taste and variety and cheaper overall in shenzen (unless you only eat at pizza hut or whatever)

    if your a gwailo a good tip in shenzen is to get to know the numerous muslim eateries about(look for the crescent/star on the sign and the staff usually wearing xinjiang style headgear -they are cheap ,lots of breads stews noodles and beef/lamb to suite a western palate very well-