Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Gyeongju and Shanghai

For one person, living costs are similar in Gyeongju and in Shanghai: $1,228 and $1,244 a month, rent and utilities included.

59

Cost of Living Index in Gyeongju
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Gyeongju Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index

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Gyeongju

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,228

/mo nomad

Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

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

A single person spends $1,228 per month in Gyeongju vs $1,244 in Shanghai, rent included.

Gyeongju $1,228
Shanghai $1,244

A couple spends around $1,988 per month in Gyeongju vs $1,999 in Shanghai, rent included.

Gyeongju $1,988
Shanghai $1,999

A family of three spends $2,748 per month in Gyeongju vs $2,755 in Shanghai, rent included.

Gyeongju $2,748
Shanghai $2,755

Gyeongju is about 1% cheaper than Shanghai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Gyeongju and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – Gyeongju 9% lower, Shanghai 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.61 ₩10.1K

$4.56 ¥30.47

66.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.01 ₩63.8K

$30.21 ¥202

58.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.51 ₩8,653

$5.25 ¥35.13

24.00%

Cappuccino

$3.02 ₩4,012

$3.28 ¥21.94

-7.93%

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

$1.10 ₩1,457

$0.57 ¥3.84

92.98%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.35 ₩469

$0.36 ¥2.39

-2.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.59 ₩3,442

$1.23 ¥8.23

110.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.34 ₩5,764

$2.27 ¥15.18

91.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ₩3,073

$1.84 ¥12.30

25.54%

White Bread (500g)

$2.47 ₩3,280

$1.96 ¥13.08

26.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.13 ₩4,164

$1.03 ¥6.87

203.88%

Eggs

$2.60 ₩3,451

$1.67 ¥11.16

55.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.06 ₩14.7K

$16.96 ¥113

-34.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.33 ₩13.7K

$3.19 ¥21.33

223.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$18.49 ₩24.6K

$12.90 ¥86.3

43.33%

Apples (1kg)

$4.50 ₩5,985

$2.24 ¥15.00

100.89%

Banana (1kg)

$2.57 ₩3,411

$1.66 ¥11.13

54.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.82 ₩5,075

$2.02 ¥13.54

89.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.67 ₩4,879

$1.66 ¥11.08

121.08%

Potato (1kg)

$2.56 ₩3,398

$0.77 ¥5.17

232.47%

Onion (1kg)

$2.18 ₩2,897

$0.93 ¥6.21

134.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.19 ₩2,917

$0.63 ¥4.19

247.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.33 ₩1,766

$0.60 ¥3.99

121.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ₩4,571

$3.80 ¥25.44

-9.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 ₩19.6K

$10.87 ¥72.7

35.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.14 ₩1,515

$0.82 ¥5.51

39.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₩2,949

$1.61 ¥10.76

37.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.06 ₩1,409

$0.61 ¥4.11

73.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.93 ₩3,895

$2.11 ¥14.11

38.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.79 ₩1,046

$0.43 ¥2.87

83.72%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$16.57 ₩22.0K

$9.06 ¥60.6

82.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.02 ₩1,354

$1.33 ¥8.89

-23.31%

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

$29.6K ₩39.3M

$19.0K ¥127.2K

55.35%

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

$34.0K ₩45.2M

$18.7K ¥125.1K

81.85%

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

$80.6 ₩107.1K

$57.8 ¥387

39.34%

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

$36.83 ₩49.0K

$8.09 ¥54.1

355.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$27.20 ₩36.2K

$10.48 ¥70.0

159.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.1 ₩69.3K

$65.7 ¥439

-20.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.96 ₩15.9K

$17.82 ¥119

-32.88%

Cinema Ticket

$11.04 ₩14.7K

$8.95 ¥59.9

23.35%

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

$639 ₩849.8K

$1,414 ¥9,451

-54.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$22.2K ₩29.5M

$27.9K ¥186.2K

-20.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.34 ₩60.3K

$54.0 ¥361

-16.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$22.41 ₩29.8K

$37.09 ¥248

-39.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$91.7 ₩121.9K

$74.3 ¥496

23.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₩170.8K

$106 ¥706

21.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$478 ₩635.9K

$1,055 ¥7,056

-54.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ₩486.7K

$585 ¥3,910

-37.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,163 ₩1.5M

$2,485 ¥16.6K

-53.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$732 ₩972.7K

$1,232 ¥8,240

-40.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,249 ₩9.6M

$13.9K ¥93.1K

-47.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,416 ₩7.2M

$6,253 ¥41.8K

-13.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,841 ₩2.4M

$1,711 ¥11.4K

7.57%

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 Gyeongju: October 12, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Gyeongju

$366 29.8%

Shanghai

$585 47% 59.7% $219

Groceries & Markets

Gyeongju

$359 29.2%

Shanghai

$235 18.9% 34.6% $124

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Gyeongju

$145 11.8%

Shanghai

$76 6.1% 47.2% $68

Eating Out

Gyeongju

$144 11.7%

Shanghai

$106 8.5% 26.4% $38

Clothing & Footwear

Gyeongju

$130 10.6%

Shanghai

$122 9.8% 5.9% $7.6

Sport & Entertainment

Gyeongju

$74 6%

Shanghai

$84 6.7% 12.7% $9.4

Getting Around

Gyeongju

$11 * 0.9%

Shanghai

$36 2.9% 225% $25

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

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $478 in Gyeongju versus $1,055 in Shanghai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Gyeongju, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $48.00 in Gyeongju versus $30.00 in Shanghai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $359 vs $235 – making Shanghai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Gyeongju

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🕒 Local time

07:08 7:08 AM

06:08 6:08 AM

1 h behind Gyeongju

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

258,156

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 17, 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 17, 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

Gyeongju Shanghai 880 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Gyeongju
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

Gyeongju vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 1%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,843 per month in Gyeongju and $1,865 in Shanghai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gyeongju, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,228 in Gyeongju and $1,244 in Shanghai. That's a gap of about 1%.

Kindergarten costs $639 per month in Gyeongju and $1,414 in Shanghai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gyeongju, where all-in costs run around $1,228, than in Shanghai at $1,244. In Gyeongju it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gyeongju – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Gyeongju. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.