Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Bacau and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $905 per month in Bacau vs $1,192 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Bacau vs $1,958 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,019 per month in Bacau vs $2,724 in Shanghai, rent included.

Bacau is about 24% cheaper than Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Bacau and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – Bacau 32% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.74 RON 53.6

$4.72 ¥31.97

148.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$45.80 RON 209

$35.92 ¥243

27.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.16 RON 37.23

$5.74 ¥38.81

42.16%

Cappuccino

$2.30 RON 10.50

$3.52 ¥23.80

-34.66%

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

$2.20 RON 10.06

$0.57 ¥3.88

285.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.86 RON 8.47

$0.33 ¥2.25

463.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.32 RON 10.59

$1.36 ¥9.20

70.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.54 RON 16.18

$2.84 ¥19.20

24.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 RON 6.13

$2.10 ¥14.20

-36.19%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 RON 3.84

$1.80 ¥12.15

-53.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.71 RON 7.82

$1.05 ¥7.13

62.86%

Eggs

$3.67 RON 16.74

$1.68 ¥11.35

118.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.33 RON 38.04

$15.78 ¥107

-47.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.22 RON 28.38

$3.17 ¥21.43

96.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.10 RON 41.55

$11.02 ¥74.6

-17.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.26 RON 5.77

$2.38 ¥16.08

-47.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.62 RON 7.40

$1.69 ¥11.47

-4.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 RON 7.90

$1.78 ¥12.07

-2.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.83 RON 8.34

$1.45 ¥9.83

26.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 RON 4.25

$0.83 ¥5.64

12.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.83 RON 3.81

$1.13 ¥7.64

-26.55%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.71 RON 3.23

$0.68 ¥4.57

4.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 RON 3.36

$0.60 ¥4.06

23.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.85 RON 26.72

$2.82 ¥19.06

107.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.58 RON 30.02

$11.74 ¥79.5

-43.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 RON 3.97

$0.78 ¥5.28

11.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.34 RON 6.11

$1.57 ¥10.64

-14.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 RON 2.88

$0.41 ¥2.74

53.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$32.12 RON 147

$35.05 ¥237

-8.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.62 RON 2.84

$2.26 ¥15.28

-72.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.64 RON 2.94

$0.37 ¥2.52

72.97%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.44 RON 33.96

$8.18 ¥55.4

-9.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.60 RON 7.30

$1.15 ¥7.80

39.13%

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

$28.3K RON 129.0K

$19.3K ¥130.5K

46.58%

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

$26.7K RON 121.7K

$17.7K ¥120.0K

50.42%

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

$116 RON 529

$53.0 ¥359

118.65%

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

$8.53 RON 38.95

$8.77 ¥59.4

-2.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$5.26 RON 24.02

$13.78 ¥93.3

-61.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.94 RON 114

$45.42 ¥307

-45.09%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.39 RON 107

$20.00 ¥135

16.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.81 RON 31.07

$8.30 ¥56.2

-17.95%

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

$654 RON 2,987

$1,264 ¥8,555

-48.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,516 RON 25.2K

$31.7K ¥214.3K

-82.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$90.4 RON 413

$57.7 ¥390

56.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.38 RON 162

$37.93 ¥257

-6.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 RON 291

$77.0 ¥521

-17.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.0 RON 452

$96.7 ¥655

2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 RON 1,485

$955 ¥6,466

-65.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$183 RON 835

$555 ¥3,755

-67.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$501 RON 2,289

$2,497 ¥16.9K

-79.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 RON 1,670

$1,207 ¥8,166

-69.69%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,828 RON 8,343

$14.3K ¥96.7K

-87.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,217 RON 5,555

$6,625 ¥44.8K

-81.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,022 RON 4,665

$1,702 ¥11.5K

-39.95%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.5

3.58

81.56%

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

Last update for Bacau: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $325 in Bacau versus $955 in Shanghai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 67% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Bacau versus $36.00 in Shanghai. Groceries tell a different story – $195 in Bacau vs $228 in Shanghai – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Bacau vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,357 per month in Bacau and $1,788 in Shanghai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $46.00 in Bacau and $36.00 in Shanghai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $905 in Bacau and $1,192 in Shanghai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Shanghai at $1,192. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bacau. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.