Moving to Shenzhen? Here’s How to Save RMB in the PRD

Moving to Shenzhen? Here’s How to Save RMB in the PRD
By Sade Mckenzie , eChinacities.com

Considering a move to Shenzhen? Great choice! Shenzhen is the definition of an up and coming city. The feeling is palpable when you talk to any of the number of entrepreneurs, businesspeople, entertainers, and teachers who have come to call Shenzhen their home. A city of construction cranes, there is always a new shopping center, restaurant, park, bike path, or gym being built at any given moment. Clean air, beaches, and perfect weather add to its appeal. And of course, Hong Kong, one of the most dynamic and exciting cities in the world, is a quick jump across the border.

Popular with young Chinese, and an increasing popular expat destination, the cost of living in Shenzhen has risen significantly in the past few years. We’ve rounded up tips on how to save money in Shenzhen for brand new city residents or anyone considering a move to the metropolis:

1) Rent Strategically: Unless you are one shrewd and lucky renter, rent prices will always be a couple of hundreds to a thousand Yuan more for foreigners than Chinese natives. A single studio can cost you anywhere from 2,500-4,000 RMB, and an apartment can cost 3,000-18,000 RMB, depending on the district. If you want to save money on rent, look beyond Shekou to more suburban areas like Yantian, Bao’an or Longhua. Apartments near good middle and elementary schools will cost up to three or four times more than usual, so avoid neighborhoods near popular schools like Shenzhen Middle or the Cuizhu area. If you are willing to take a bus to the metro, prices will go way down as well.

2) Eschew Import Stores: NoGoGo, Shenzhen’s Western grocery delivery service, is amazing, but sometimes I spend 200 Yuan a week (their delivery minimum) only on Cheetos and cheese, and that has become bad for my bank account. Kick that weekly NoGoGo habit and head to your local Walmart or Vanguard to find the key imported ingredients that you need for your weekly menu. Prices will be cheaper than at an import store, and they usually have a pretty hefty import section.

3) 7/11 is Your Friend: Depending on what part of the city you prefer to spend your nights, imported beer and alcohol will run up your bar tab. However, most bars and clubs are free to get into. Drink your Tsingtaos at a restaurant before heading out or pick some up at your local convenience store and hang out in one of Shenzhen’s many parks. For women, a number of bars and clubs in Coco Park and Sea World have ladies nights on Wednesday where drinks are completely free.

4) Get Outdoors: Shenzhen is filled with parks, hiking and biking trails, and ports and land transportations that can easily get you from one city to another for next to nothing. Beaches in Yantian and Longgang are either free or a few RMB, and some even let you camp overnight. Hong Kong has free hiking and nature trails just over the border in the New Territories.

5) Explore Cheaper Restaurants: Western food is very expensive in Shenzhen. Prices can easily range from 80- 200 RMB for a meal. Shenzhen has a number of cheap culinary specialties including Lanzhou Muslim food, BBQ, and southern style dumplings with peanut sauce. There are also foreign restaurants that offer slightly cheaper options such as Frankie’s, Gaga, and Element Fresh, with brunch and daily specials. Shenzhen is filled with many options to satisfy any taste bud.

6) Buses over Cabs: Cabs start at 10 to 13 Yuan in Shenzhen, depending on if you are in the suburbs or in the inner city. Shenzhen is very spread out, and cab fares add up fast. If you haven’t learn how to take the bus in Shenzhen (as the metro only covers about half the city), now is the time to learn! I personally use the PandaBus App to help navigate the Shenzhen system.

7) Earn Extra Income: If cutting back on spending isn’t something you are interested in, there are many ways to make extra money in Shenzhen. Tutor English for a family for 200-300 RMB per hour, write for a local foreign magazine, start your own business, or become a singer, dancer or DJ at a local club (make sure your paperwork is in order first though!).

Warning:The use of any news and articles published on eChinacities.com without written permission from eChinacities.com constitutes copyright infringement, and legal action can be taken.

Keywords: how to save money in Shenzhen budgeting in Shenzhen

29 Comments

All comments are subject to moderation by eChinacities.com staff. Because we wish to encourage healthy and productive dialogue we ask that all comments remain polite, free of profanity or name calling, and relevant to the original post and subsequent discussion. Comments will not be deleted because of the viewpoints they express, only if the mode of expression itself is inappropriate.

dikenozan

Any Jobs in Shenzhen ? from Consulting to teaching etc ? Thanks

Mar 02, 2023 13:43 Report Abuse

Guest15939216

Cant find the pandabus app anywhere. would love to know how to access an app for riding the bus

Aug 15, 2022 22:52 Report Abuse

oxana212

cool

Mar 30, 2022 08:16 Report Abuse

oxana212

Good

Mar 20, 2022 01:17 Report Abuse

Alfiyaa

Nice place for exploring

Mar 15, 2022 13:35 Report Abuse

Alfiyaa

Would like to drop in Walmart

Mar 15, 2022 13:35 Report Abuse

Alfiyaa

Nice city

Mar 15, 2022 13:33 Report Abuse

oxana212

Ok

Feb 14, 2022 09:21 Report Abuse

oxana212

Awesome

Jan 24, 2022 10:55 Report Abuse

oxana212

Nice

Jan 10, 2022 05:23 Report Abuse

oxana212

Cool

Jan 04, 2022 09:15 Report Abuse

Wallace2

- We are providing apartment/house/office rental,(buying&selling),fapiao/Cleaning/house keeper service . - (Pls DO NOT reply the AD ,better add my wechat for more details,thanks for your cooperation !!!) - 9 Years more experience Real Estate Agent in Shekou,Nanshan,Shenzhen - Or webside :www.shenzhenrentapartment.com - Contact Wechat : WallaceChi

Dec 14, 2021 10:06 Report Abuse

oxana212

Amazing

Nov 29, 2021 08:56 Report Abuse

oxana212

Nice

Oct 28, 2021 06:26 Report Abuse

oxana212

Wow

Sep 22, 2021 17:39 Report Abuse

oxana212

Cool

Sep 13, 2021 03:48 Report Abuse

oxana212

Nice

Aug 29, 2021 06:17 Report Abuse

oxana212

Great

Aug 23, 2021 00:42 Report Abuse

alicelamforever

7/11

Mar 14, 2016 20:08 Report Abuse

joshua_son

Cool article. It was helpful but I would like more detail in the next one. Convenient districts, good stores, transportation help. Something in depth would be nice.

Jan 07, 2016 10:47 Report Abuse

RobRocks

7/11 is better in HongKong than in Shenzhen

Nov 10, 2015 16:47 Report Abuse

Aylin35

Hong Kong is OK for visit only . If you live in Hong Kong, you will have a very difficult life. I was in holiday in Hong Kong for 2 weeks, enough to see how peoples live there... There is no suopermarket near your home, no fruits on the street to buy, nothing, need to take a bus for so long way to find a supermarket . And other thing is the huge price for everything, crowd city always and very polluted from the cars on the street when you are walking. I could not living there... If you add the very high temperature in summer, then the picture is full...

Nov 16, 2015 23:25 Report Abuse

Aylin35

Who can resist in that heat ???? Is so hot and humidity is so high.. I spent there 2 weeks last year to try to find an apartment and all what I found was too expensive and too small for that price, also the noise in Shenzhen is terrible , cannot find a quiet place there. I came back to Beijing because I could not resist there, is terrible hot and I was sweating non-stop until I was dehidrated... I felt sick , got a gripal virus then which kept me on 2 weeks... Outside is so hot, when you enter to subway is very cold from the air conditioner. Local peoples only can live there who was born and raised there in that heat... I like to travel there, but for not more than 2-3 days.

Nov 06, 2015 13:46 Report Abuse

Benjamin321

I think it is a major case of "to each his own." I would never want to live in Beijing for a variety of reasons. However, I can definitely see why people would want to live there: good salaries, vibrant culture, large expat community, and connections to the political world of China. I suppose it is as the wise philosopher/poet/really big suit enthusiast David Byrne once said in the lyrics of "Cities" , "Good points, bad points, but it all works out..."

Nov 10, 2015 01:28 Report Abuse

Aylin35

No where is good in China , be serious ! We are here for work, not for living forever . In Shenzhen peoples are very racists from what I saw. In Beijing, they are arrogant and cold. I cannot make friends here since I am living here. They no like keep friendship with foreigners. Everything for Chinese is only for the moment and their own interest . Anywhere you go in China, every place has it's own bad things. And one thing is clear, Chinese don't want us here ( I mean about foreigners).

Nov 16, 2015 23:29 Report Abuse