Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Foshan and Shanghai

For one person, living is cheaper in Foshan: $777 a month against $1,244 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $5,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

38

Cost of Living Index in Foshan
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Foshan Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index

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Foshan

🇨🇳 China

$777

/mo nomad

Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Foshan 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 Foshan and in Shanghai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $777 in Foshan versus $1,244 in Shanghai.

Foshan $777
Shanghai $1,244

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,242 in Foshan versus $1,999 in Shanghai.

Foshan $1,242
Shanghai $1,999

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,708 in Foshan versus $2,755 in Shanghai.

Foshan $1,708
Shanghai $2,755

Living in Foshan costs roughly 38% less than in Shanghai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Foshan 42% lower, Shanghai 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.78 ¥25.26

$4.56 ¥30.47

-17.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.79 ¥152

$30.21 ¥202

-24.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.11 ¥34.19

$5.25 ¥35.13

-2.67%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.50

$3.28 ¥21.94

-6.40%

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

$0.52 ¥3.49

$0.57 ¥3.84

-8.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.36 ¥2.39

-13.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.17

$1.23 ¥8.23

-0.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.89 ¥12.61

$2.27 ¥15.18

-16.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.66 ¥11.11

$1.84 ¥12.30

-9.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.12 ¥7.48

$1.96 ¥13.08

-42.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.16

$1.03 ¥6.87

-10.68%

Eggs

$1.70 ¥11.38

$1.67 ¥11.16

1.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.68 ¥112

$16.96 ¥113

-1.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.92 ¥26.18

$3.19 ¥21.33

22.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.69 ¥71.5

$12.90 ¥86.3

-17.13%

Apples (1kg)

$3.01 ¥20.16

$2.24 ¥15.00

34.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.51

$1.66 ¥11.13

-23.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.69

$2.02 ¥13.54

-5.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.63 ¥10.91

$1.66 ¥11.08

-1.81%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.27

$0.77 ¥5.17

41.56%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.38

$0.93 ¥6.21

2.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.26

$0.63 ¥4.19

1.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.36

$0.60 ¥3.99

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.23 ¥14.89

$3.80 ¥25.44

-41.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.23 ¥68.4

$10.87 ¥72.7

-5.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.24

$0.82 ¥5.51

13.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.13

$1.61 ¥10.76

-6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.61 ¥4.11

-49.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$10.62 ¥71.0

$29.40 ¥197

-63.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.52 ¥10.18

$2.11 ¥14.11

-27.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.43 ¥2.87

9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.81 ¥58.9

$9.06 ¥60.6

-2.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 ¥8.19

$1.33 ¥8.89

-8.27%

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

$21.3K ¥142.3K

$19.0K ¥127.2K

11.86%

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

$16.2K ¥108.3K

$18.7K ¥125.1K

-13.43%

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

$84.5 ¥565

$57.8 ¥387

46.20%

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

$7.92 ¥53.0

$8.09 ¥54.1

-2.10%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$15.69 ¥105

$10.48 ¥70.0

49.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$71.4 ¥477

$65.7 ¥439

8.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.83 ¥159

$17.82 ¥119

33.73%

Cinema Ticket

$5.31 ¥35.50

$8.95 ¥59.9

-40.67%

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

$457 ¥3,054

$1,414 ¥9,451

-67.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.3K ¥155.8K

$27.9K ¥186.2K

-16.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.21 ¥282

$54.0 ¥361

-21.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.76 ¥125

$37.09 ¥248

-49.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$62.1 ¥415

$74.3 ¥496

-16.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.8 ¥614

$106 ¥706

-13.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$304 ¥2,031

$1,055 ¥7,056

-71.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 ¥1,061

$585 ¥3,910

-72.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$596 ¥3,982

$2,485 ¥16.6K

-76.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$341 ¥2,279

$1,232 ¥8,240

-72.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,329 ¥28.9K

$13.9K ¥93.1K

-68.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,864 ¥12.5K

$6,253 ¥41.8K

-70.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$802 ¥5,362

$1,711 ¥11.4K

-53.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.36

13.99%

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

Last update for Foshan: 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

Foshan

$220 28.4%

Shanghai

$235 18.9% 6.5% $14

Accommodation & Living

Foshan

$159 20.4%

Shanghai

$585 47% 269% $426

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Foshan

$108 13.9%

Shanghai

$76 6.1% 29.4% $32

Clothing & Footwear

Foshan

$97 12.4%

Shanghai

$122 9.8% 26.1% $25

Eating Out

Foshan

$96 12.3%

Shanghai

$106 8.5% 10.9% $10

Sport & Entertainment

Foshan

$82 10.6%

Shanghai

$84 6.7% 2% $1.6

Getting Around

Foshan

$16 2%

Shanghai

$36 2.9% 129% $20

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $304 in Foshan and $1,055 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 113% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $23.00 in Foshan vs $30.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $220 vs $235 per month, with Foshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Foshan

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🕒 Local time

11:43 11:43 AM

Same time as Foshan

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

9,498,863

24,870,895

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Foshan Shanghai 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Foshan
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

Foshan vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foshan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 113% 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: $304 in Foshan versus $1,055 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Foshan runs roughly 177% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $457 in Foshan versus $1,414 in Shanghai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $777 in Foshan versus $1,244 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foshan but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Foshan 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 Foshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.