Cost of Living Comparison Between Changsha and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Changsha and Shanghai

🙂 Solo nomad: Changsha is 7.7% cheaper than Shanghai without rent, and 39% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Changsha is 12.2% cheaper than Shanghai without rent, and 36.8% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.76 ¥19.8

$4.73 ¥33.92

-41.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.22 ¥152

$36.17 ¥259

-41.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.82 ¥34.58

$5.6 ¥40.18

-13.93%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥21.31

$3.56 ¥25.53

-16.57%

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

$0.46 ¥3.29

$0.54 ¥3.9

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.94

$0.36 ¥2.59

-25.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥8.04

$1.43 ¥10.25

-21.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥13.56

$2.76 ¥19.81

-31.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.94 ¥13.89

$2.18 ¥15.66

-11.01%

White Bread (500g)

$2.34 ¥16.79

$1.81 ¥13

29.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.53

$1.1 ¥7.9

-17.27%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥11.55

$1.69 ¥12.1

-4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.65 ¥112

$15.79 ¥113

-0.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ¥22.13

$3.17 ¥22.76

-2.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.87 ¥63.6

$10.88 ¥78.1

-18.47%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥13.33

$2.26 ¥16.24

-17.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.3 ¥9.32

$1.67 ¥11.98

-22.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.78

Tomato (1kg)

$1.9 ¥13.66

$1.52 ¥10.94

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ¥6.33

$0.85 ¥6.09

3.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.68

$1.17 ¥8.37

27.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ¥3.34

$0.68 ¥4.84

-30.88%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 ¥3.04

$0.6 ¥4.29

-30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.72 ¥19.5

$2.87 ¥20.56

-5.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.52 ¥89.8

$11.16 ¥80

12.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.77

$0.8 ¥5.73

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ¥10.19

$1.56 ¥11.22

-8.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ¥2.6

$0.4 ¥2.89

-10.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.12 ¥101

$35.15 ¥252

-59.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.72

$2.29 ¥16.45

-46.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.85

$0.37 ¥2.69

-29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ¥61.4

$8.14 ¥58.4

5.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥8.03

$1.09 ¥7.81

2.75%

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

$20.4K ¥146K

$19.5K ¥140.1K

4.16%

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

$21.6K ¥154.9K

$18.2K ¥130.5K

18.72%

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

$44.3 ¥318

$51.6 ¥370

-14.06%

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

$12.21 ¥87.6

$8.68 ¥62.2

40.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.46 ¥104

$13.5 ¥96.8

7.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$56.8 ¥408

$46.42 ¥333

22.43%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$22.27 ¥160

$20.44 ¥147

8.95%

Cinema Ticket

$6.03 ¥43.28

$8.58 ¥61.5

-29.72%

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

$321 ¥2,299

$1,307 ¥9,378

-75.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,277 ¥52.2K

$31.4K ¥225.4K

-76.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$83.8 ¥601

$58.8 ¥422

42.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.54 ¥219

$36.99 ¥265

-17.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81 ¥581

$77.7 ¥558

4.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$68.7 ¥493

$98.5 ¥706

-30.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$203 ¥1,459

$952 ¥6,827

-78.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ¥1,205

$574 ¥4,115

-70.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$525 ¥3,765

$2,518 ¥18.1K

-79.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ¥2,572

$1,201 ¥8,614

-70.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,136 ¥15.3K

$14.4K ¥103.2K

-85.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,782 ¥27.1K

$7,106 ¥51K

-46.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$951 ¥6,820

$1,534 ¥11K

-38.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

3.58

8.66%

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

Last update for Changsha: October 26, 2025

Last update for Shanghai: October 28, 2025

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