Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuzhou and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuzhou and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Fuzhou versus $1,192 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Fuzhou versus $1,958 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in Fuzhou versus $2,724 in Shanghai.

Living in Fuzhou costs roughly 34% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fuzhou 41% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.33

$4.72 ¥31.97

-39.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 ¥158

$35.92 ¥243

-35.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ¥35.90

$5.74 ¥38.81

-7.67%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ¥18.37

$3.52 ¥23.80

-23.01%

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

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.57 ¥3.88

-24.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.69

$0.33 ¥2.25

-24.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ¥5.84

$1.36 ¥9.20

-36.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.44

$2.84 ¥19.20

-40.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$2.10 ¥14.20

-15.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ¥8.90

$1.80 ¥12.15

-26.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.11

$1.05 ¥7.13

-27.62%

Eggs

$1.39 ¥9.41

$1.68 ¥11.35

-17.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 ¥79.3

$15.78 ¥107

-25.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 ¥34.13

$3.17 ¥21.43

58.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ¥91.2

$11.02 ¥74.6

22.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.29

$2.38 ¥16.08

-5.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.44

$1.69 ¥11.47

-17.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.43

$1.78 ¥12.07

3.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.36

$1.45 ¥9.83

-15.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ¥4.49

$0.83 ¥5.64

-20.48%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$1.13 ¥7.64

-4.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.68 ¥4.57

-20.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.47

$0.60 ¥4.06

-15.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.31

$2.82 ¥19.06

1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 ¥74.6

$11.74 ¥79.5

-6.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.78 ¥5.28

-5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.37

$1.57 ¥10.64

-40.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.41 ¥2.74

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.22 ¥279

$35.05 ¥237

17.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.31

$2.26 ¥15.28

-38.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.92

$0.37 ¥2.52

-24.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 ¥44.91

$8.18 ¥55.4

-18.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥8.04

$1.15 ¥7.80

3.48%

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

$20.7K ¥140.4K

$19.3K ¥130.5K

7.57%

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

$17.5K ¥118.4K

$17.7K ¥120.0K

-1.30%

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

$38.61 ¥261

$53.0 ¥359

-27.18%

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

$9.76 ¥66.1

$8.77 ¥59.4

11.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.45 ¥50.5

$13.78 ¥93.3

-45.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.58 ¥308

$45.42 ¥307

0.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 ¥96.0

$20.00 ¥135

-29.10%

Cinema Ticket

$6.90 ¥46.70

$8.30 ¥56.2

-16.87%

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

$223 ¥1,511

$1,264 ¥8,555

-82.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,409 ¥63.7K

$31.7K ¥214.3K

-70.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ¥365

$57.7 ¥390

-6.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 ¥183

$37.93 ¥257

-28.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 ¥547

$77.0 ¥521

4.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 ¥606

$96.7 ¥655

-7.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ¥2,400

$955 ¥6,466

-62.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 ¥1,521

$555 ¥3,755

-59.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 ¥5,647

$2,497 ¥16.9K

-66.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥2,805

$1,207 ¥8,166

-65.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,609 ¥31.2K

$14.3K ¥96.7K

-67.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,258 ¥15.3K

$6,625 ¥44.8K

-65.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ¥6,559

$1,702 ¥11.5K

-43.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.56

3.58

-0.56%

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

Last update for Fuzhou: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $355 in Fuzhou and $955 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 76% 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 Fuzhou vs $36.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $214 vs $228 per month, with Fuzhou 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

Fuzhou vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuzhou wins on cost – living expenses run 51% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fuzhou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 76% 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: $355 in Fuzhou versus $955 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fuzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $789 per month in Fuzhou versus $1,192 in Shanghai – a 51% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $789 in Fuzhou versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fuzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Fuzhou 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 Fuzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.