Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Changwon and Shanghai

For one person, living is cheaper in Shanghai: $1,244 a month against $1,538 in Changwon, rent and utilities included – about $3,500 less a year. The total is higher in Changwon despite lower rent and utilities.

74

Cost of Living Index in Changwon
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Changwon Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
Learn more

Shanghai Living Index

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Changwon

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,538

/mo nomad

Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Changwon and in Shanghai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Changwon and in Shanghai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,538 in Changwon versus $1,244 in Shanghai.

Changwon $1,538
Shanghai $1,244

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,371 in Changwon versus $1,999 in Shanghai.

Changwon $2,371
Shanghai $1,999

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,204 in Changwon versus $2,755 in Shanghai.

Changwon $3,204
Shanghai $2,755

Living in Changwon is roughly 24% more expensive than in Shanghai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Changwon is 14% above, Shanghai is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.54 ₩10.0K

$4.56 ¥30.47

65.35%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.15 ₩37.4K

$30.21 ¥202

-6.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.24 ₩6,968

$5.25 ¥35.13

-0.19%

Cappuccino

$3.70 ₩4,923

$3.28 ¥21.94

12.80%

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

$1.79 ₩2,383

$0.57 ¥3.84

214.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.01 ₩1,338

$0.36 ¥2.39

180.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.03 ₩4,023

$1.23 ¥8.23

146.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.18 ₩5,563

$2.27 ¥15.18

84.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.24 ₩2,983

$1.84 ¥12.30

21.74%

White Bread (500g)

$3.20 ₩4,254

$1.96 ¥13.08

63.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.20 ₩4,257

$1.03 ¥6.87

210.68%

Eggs

$2.61 ₩3,476

$1.67 ¥11.16

56.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.83 ₩14.4K

$16.96 ¥113

-36.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.63 ₩14.1K

$3.19 ¥21.33

233.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.43 ₩32.5K

$12.90 ¥86.3

89.38%

Apples (1kg)

$11.09 ₩14.7K

$2.24 ¥15.00

395.09%

Banana (1kg)

$3.62 ₩4,807

$1.66 ¥11.13

118.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$8.02 ₩10.7K

$2.02 ¥13.54

297.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.01 ₩7,991

$1.66 ¥11.08

262.05%

Potato (1kg)

$5.82 ₩7,745

$0.77 ¥5.17

655.84%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 ₩4,358

$0.93 ¥6.21

252.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.82 ₩3,746

$0.63 ¥4.19

347.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,771

$0.60 ¥3.99

121.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,508

$3.80 ¥25.44

-10.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.77 ₩25.0K

$10.87 ¥72.7

72.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.34 ₩3,114

$0.82 ¥5.51

185.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.35 ₩4,451

$1.61 ¥10.76

108.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.98 ₩1,300

$0.61 ¥4.11

60.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ₩3,874

$2.11 ¥14.11

37.91%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,031

$0.43 ¥2.87

81.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.59 ₩22.1K

$9.06 ¥60.6

83.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 ₩1,806

$1.33 ¥8.89

2.26%

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

$29.3K ₩39.0M

$19.0K ¥127.2K

53.98%

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

$33.1K ₩44.0M

$18.7K ¥125.1K

76.78%

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

$199 ₩264.0K

$57.8 ¥387

243.42%

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

$36.37 ₩48.4K

$8.09 ¥54.1

349.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.52 ₩35.3K

$10.48 ¥70.0

153.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.5 ₩69.8K

$65.7 ¥439

-20.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.48 ₩16.6K

$17.82 ¥119

-29.97%

Cinema Ticket

$10.99 ₩14.6K

$8.95 ¥59.9

22.79%

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

$629 ₩836.2K

$1,414 ¥9,451

-55.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$21.9K ₩29.2M

$27.9K ¥186.2K

-21.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$106 ₩140.8K

$54.0 ¥361

96.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$64.4 ₩85.6K

$37.09 ¥248

73.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$92.8 ₩123.4K

$74.3 ¥496

24.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$127 ₩168.7K

$106 ¥706

20.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$543 ₩722.4K

$1,055 ¥7,056

-48.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$378 ₩502.1K

$585 ¥3,910

-35.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,240 ₩1.6M

$2,485 ¥16.6K

-50.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$753 ₩1.0M

$1,232 ¥8,240

-38.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,598 ₩10.1M

$13.9K ¥93.1K

-45.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,197 ₩8.2M

$6,253 ¥41.8K

-0.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,705 ₩2.3M

$1,711 ¥11.4K

-0.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.22

3.36

25.60%

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

Last update for Changwon: October 11, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Changwon

$483 31.4%

Shanghai

$235 18.9% 51.4% $248

Accommodation & Living

Changwon

$378 24.6%

Shanghai

$585 47% 54.8% $207

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Changwon

$261 17%

Shanghai

$76 6.1% 70.8% $185

Clothing & Footwear

Changwon

$175 11.4%

Shanghai

$122 9.8% 30.5% $54

Eating Out

Changwon

$155 10.1%

Shanghai

$106 8.5% 31.7% $49

Sport & Entertainment

Changwon

$74 4.8%

Shanghai

$84 6.7% 12.3% $9.1

Getting Around

Changwon

$11 * 0.7%

Shanghai

$36 2.9% 238% $25

Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $543 in Changwon and $1,055 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 0% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $28.00 in Changwon vs $30.00 in Shanghai. Groceries flip the comparison at $483 vs $235, with Shanghai cheaper for home cooking.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Changwon

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🕒 Local time

11:23 11:23 AM

10:23 10:23 AM

1 h behind Changwon

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,055,839

24,870,895

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 18, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Changwon Shanghai 800 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Changwon
Shanghai

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Changwon vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changwon and Shanghai differ by about 24% in total monthly costs ($1,538 vs $1,244 including rent). Shanghai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 0% lower in Shanghai. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $543 in Changwon versus $1,055 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 106% higher in Changwon. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,538 per month in Changwon versus $1,244 in Shanghai – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,244 in Shanghai versus $1,538 in Changwon, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shanghai but tight or insufficient in Changwon. The gap between the two cities makes Shanghai the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Changwon and Shanghai are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Shanghai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Changwon. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.