Cost of Living Comparison Between Guangzhou (Canton) and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Guangzhou (Canton) and Shanghai

🙂 Solo nomad: Guangzhou (Canton) is 11.7% cheaper than Shanghai without rent, and 28.7% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Guangzhou (Canton) is 12.8% cheaper than Shanghai without rent, and 25.7% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥20.47

$4.73 ¥33.92

-39.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.47 ¥161

$36.17 ¥259

-37.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5 ¥35.9

$5.6 ¥40.18

-10.71%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥21.83

$3.56 ¥25.53

-14.61%

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

$0.5 ¥3.55

$0.54 ¥3.9

-7.41%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 ¥2.32

$0.36 ¥2.59

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥7.08

$1.43 ¥10.25

-30.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥12.26

$2.76 ¥19.81

-38.04%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ¥14.26

$2.18 ¥15.66

-8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 ¥14.94

$1.81 ¥13

14.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ¥9.2

$1.1 ¥7.9

16.36%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥11.22

$1.69 ¥12.1

-7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.79 ¥135

$15.79 ¥113

19.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.66 ¥33.43

$3.17 ¥22.76

47.00%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.05 ¥101

$10.88 ¥78.1

29.14%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥15.18

$2.26 ¥16.24

-6.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.27 ¥9.08

$1.67 ¥11.98

-23.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.97 ¥14.15

$1.78 ¥12.78

10.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.65

$1.52 ¥10.94

-1.97%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.6

$0.85 ¥6.09

8.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.79

$1.17 ¥8.37

-6.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.98

$0.68 ¥4.84

-17.65%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.63

$0.6 ¥4.29

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.76 ¥26.97

$2.87 ¥20.56

31.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.68 ¥62.2

$11.16 ¥80

-22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.76

$0.8 ¥5.73

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 ¥9.89

$1.56 ¥11.22

-11.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.4 ¥2.9

$0.4 ¥2.89

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.55 ¥183

$35.15 ¥252

-27.31%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥11.66

$2.29 ¥16.45

-28.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.67

$0.37 ¥2.69

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.29 ¥45.13

$8.14 ¥58.4

-22.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥8.07

$1.09 ¥7.81

2.75%

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

$21.3K ¥152.6K

$19.5K ¥140.1K

8.88%

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

$19.7K ¥141.4K

$18.2K ¥130.5K

8.36%

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

$60.4 ¥433

$51.6 ¥370

17.15%

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

$12.91 ¥92.6

$8.68 ¥62.2

48.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.46 ¥82.2

$13.5 ¥96.8

-15.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.3 ¥296

$46.42 ¥333

-11.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.04 ¥101

$20.44 ¥147

-31.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥46.07

$8.58 ¥61.5

-25.17%

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

$313 ¥2,242

$1,307 ¥9,378

-76.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.2K ¥116K

$31.4K ¥225.4K

-48.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.46 ¥297

$58.8 ¥422

-29.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.6 ¥205

$36.99 ¥265

-22.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.7 ¥500

$77.7 ¥558

-10.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.7 ¥435

$98.5 ¥706

-38.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$498 ¥3,571

$952 ¥6,827

-47.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 ¥1,957

$574 ¥4,115

-52.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 ¥8,061

$2,518 ¥18.1K

-55.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$609 ¥4,372

$1,201 ¥8,614

-49.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,985 ¥64.4K

$14.4K ¥103.2K

-37.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,445 ¥24.7K

$7,106 ¥51K

-51.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,281 ¥9,187

$1,534 ¥11K

-16.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.08

3.58

13.97%

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

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): October 29, 2025

Last update for Shanghai: October 28, 2025

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