Cost of Living Comparison Between Datong and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Datong and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in Datong versus $1,194 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,127 in Datong versus $1,972 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,543 in Datong versus $2,750 in Shanghai.

Living in Datong costs roughly 40% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Datong 47% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ¥19.43

$4.97 ¥33.95

-42.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.16 ¥145

$36.17 ¥247

-41.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.90

$5.42 ¥37.04

-8.49%

Cappuccino

$3.03 ¥20.70

$3.56 ¥24.31

-14.89%

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

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.53 ¥3.64

-18.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥2.00

$0.33 ¥2.28

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.94 ¥6.43

$1.35 ¥9.23

-30.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥14.61

$2.76 ¥18.87

-22.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.78

$2.13 ¥14.54

-12.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥10.59

$1.84 ¥12.58

-15.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.05

$1.05 ¥7.19

-15.24%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.62

$1.68 ¥11.45

-7.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.63 ¥86.2

$15.58 ¥106

-18.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.93

$3.24 ¥22.13

-0.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 ¥70.8

$10.83 ¥74.0

-4.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.83 ¥12.48

$2.37 ¥16.22

-22.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.47

$1.69 ¥11.57

-26.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.17

$1.80 ¥12.27

-17.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.52

$1.48 ¥10.09

-25.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.09

$0.85 ¥5.83

-11.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.66

$1.17 ¥7.99

-17.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.85

$0.62 ¥4.25

-9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.79

$0.61 ¥4.15

-8.20%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.19 ¥21.81

$2.81 ¥19.17

13.52%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.61 ¥72.5

$11.89 ¥81.2

-10.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.37

$0.79 ¥5.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.36

$1.57 ¥10.72

5.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥2.00

$0.44 ¥2.98

-34.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.40 ¥112

$34.93 ¥239

-53.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 ¥9.62

$2.24 ¥15.33

-37.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.38 ¥2.59

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.81 ¥46.52

$8.23 ¥56.2

-17.25%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.94

$1.15 ¥7.87

0.87%

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

$19.4K ¥132.5K

$19.9K ¥135.8K

-2.42%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$17.8K ¥121.8K

-3.92%

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

$44.59 ¥305

$52.2 ¥357

-14.58%

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

$10.02 ¥68.4

$8.70 ¥59.4

15.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.84 ¥80.8

$13.58 ¥92.7

-12.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.02 ¥280

$46.31 ¥316

-11.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.79 ¥94.2

$20.45 ¥140

-32.57%

Cinema Ticket

$6.07 ¥41.46

$8.26 ¥56.5

-26.51%

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

$334 ¥2,280

$1,266 ¥8,649

-73.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ¥114.7K

$31.9K ¥218.2K

-47.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.51 ¥297

$59.8 ¥408

-27.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.40 ¥208

$38.23 ¥261

-20.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥486

$77.2 ¥527

-7.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 ¥490

$96.2 ¥657

-25.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$273 ¥1,867

$948 ¥6,478

-71.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$191 ¥1,304

$572 ¥3,908

-66.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$589 ¥4,020

$2,473 ¥16.9K

-76.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 ¥2,483

$1,206 ¥8,239

-69.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,997 ¥20.5K

$14.1K ¥96.2K

-78.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,036 ¥13.9K

$7,213 ¥49.3K

-71.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

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 Datong: April 12, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $273 in Datong and $948 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $21 in Datong vs $36 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $199 vs $228 per month, with Datong cheaper across the board.

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

Datong vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Datong wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Datong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,067 in Datong and $1,790 in Shanghai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $273 in Datong versus $948 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $334 in Datong versus $1,266 in Shanghai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $711 in Datong versus $1,194 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Datong but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Datong 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.

Expats usually find Datong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.