Cost of Living Comparison Between Hefei and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Hefei and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $735 in Hefei versus $1,209 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,184 in Hefei versus $1,979 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,634 in Hefei versus $2,749 in Shanghai.

Living in Hefei costs roughly 39% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hefei 45% lower, Shanghai 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.44 ¥23.27

$4.90 ¥33.15

-29.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.83 ¥114

$36.30 ¥245

-53.64%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.15 ¥28.05

$5.59 ¥37.82

-25.76%

Cappuccino

$2.35 ¥15.87

$3.55 ¥24.02

-33.80%

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

$0.47 ¥3.19

$0.57 ¥3.88

-17.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.55

$0.36 ¥2.46

-36.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ¥5.58

$1.43 ¥9.66

-42.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥14.27

$2.85 ¥19.24

-25.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.69 ¥11.41

$2.16 ¥14.59

-21.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.90

$1.78 ¥12.02

-9.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.10

$1.10 ¥7.42

9.09%

Eggs

$1.91 ¥12.91

$1.69 ¥11.43

13.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.60 ¥58.2

$15.30 ¥103

-43.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.07 ¥27.54

$3.12 ¥21.11

30.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.92 ¥67.1

$10.76 ¥72.7

-7.81%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$2.26 ¥15.28

-20.35%

Banana (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.57

$1.67 ¥11.31

-50.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.62

$1.80 ¥12.16

-28.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$1.53 ¥10.35

-45.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.08

$0.81 ¥5.46

-25.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.49 ¥3.29

$1.11 ¥7.52

-55.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ¥3.59

$0.68 ¥4.61

-22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥18.99

$2.84 ¥19.18

-1.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.50 ¥64.2

$11.60 ¥78.5

-18.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥4.86

$0.79 ¥5.32

-8.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.12

$1.64 ¥11.06

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.43 ¥2.93

-23.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.14 ¥278

$34.41 ¥233

19.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.34 ¥9.07

$2.21 ¥14.91

-39.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.73

$0.38 ¥2.55

-31.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.54 ¥17.19

$8.38 ¥56.6

-69.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.81

$1.14 ¥7.71

0.88%

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

$19.6K ¥132.2K

$19.5K ¥132.1K

0.09%

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

$19.2K ¥129.6K

$18.1K ¥122.7K

5.59%

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

$40.99 ¥277

$52.8 ¥357

-22.38%

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

$12.86 ¥87.0

$8.53 ¥57.7

50.76%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.70 ¥92.6

$13.84 ¥93.6

-1.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$82.8 ¥560

$47.02 ¥318

76.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.49 ¥84.5

$19.81 ¥134

-36.95%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 ¥39.29

$8.46 ¥57.2

-31.32%

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

$257 ¥1,741

$1,303 ¥8,808

-80.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,920 ¥60.3K

$31.6K ¥213.5K

-71.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.9 ¥391

$59.6 ¥403

-2.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.23 ¥204

$38.09 ¥258

-20.64%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$60.9 ¥412

$78.8 ¥533

-22.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥504

$99.3 ¥671

-24.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$229 ¥1,545

$933 ¥6,306

-75.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$180 ¥1,218

$570 ¥3,854

-68.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$484 ¥3,273

$2,490 ¥16.8K

-80.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,476

$1,192 ¥8,062

-69.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,744 ¥25.3K

$14.0K ¥94.6K

-73.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,044 ¥13.8K

$6,729 ¥45.5K

-69.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$962 ¥6,505

$1,689 ¥11.4K

-43.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.37

3.58

22.07%

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

Last update for Hefei: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $229 in Hefei and $933 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: $17.00 in Hefei vs $36.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $225 per month, with Hefei 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

Hefei vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hefei wins on cost – living expenses run 65% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hefei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Shanghai earns 76% less. 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: $229 in Hefei versus $933 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hefei – a meal for two runs $17.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $735 per month in Hefei versus $1,209 in Shanghai – a 65% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $735 in Hefei versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hefei but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Hefei 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 Hefei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 65% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.