Cost of Living Comparison Between Heyuan and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Heyuan and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $746 per month in Heyuan vs $1,224 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,180 per month in Heyuan vs $1,975 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,614 per month in Heyuan vs $2,727 in Shanghai, rent included.

Heyuan is about 39% cheaper than Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Heyuan and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – Heyuan 44% lower, Shanghai 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.83 ¥19.18

$4.84 ¥32.74

-41.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$15.02 ¥102

$36.37 ¥246

-58.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.26 ¥28.82

$5.59 ¥37.79

-23.79%

Cappuccino

$2.11 ¥14.27

$3.53 ¥23.90

-40.23%

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

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.58 ¥3.93

-43.10%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ¥1.49

$0.34 ¥2.27

-35.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 ¥4.58

$1.37 ¥9.29

-50.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥11.57

$2.84 ¥19.22

-39.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$2.17 ¥14.68

-9.22%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 ¥14.04

$1.84 ¥12.46

13.04%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.41

$1.05 ¥7.11

18.10%

Eggs

$1.51 ¥10.19

$1.68 ¥11.36

-10.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.72 ¥127

$15.53 ¥105

20.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.50 ¥30.45

$3.11 ¥21.02

44.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.06 ¥95.1

$10.89 ¥73.7

29.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.09 ¥14.17

$2.37 ¥16.01

-11.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.14

$1.71 ¥11.55

-29.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ¥13.11

$1.77 ¥11.99

9.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$1.53 ¥10.34

-7.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.97

$0.78 ¥5.31

12.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$1.11 ¥7.49

-1.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.62 ¥4.19

-9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ¥4.35

$0.60 ¥4.03

6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.90 ¥26.35

$2.72 ¥18.42

43.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 ¥81.6

$12.01 ¥81.3

0.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.95 ¥6.45

$0.86 ¥5.80

10.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.41 ¥9.53

$1.60 ¥10.84

-11.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.40 ¥2.71

-27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.80 ¥114

$34.58 ¥234

-51.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$2.21 ¥14.95

-22.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.33

$0.37 ¥2.53

-8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.30 ¥42.63

$8.18 ¥55.4

-22.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.09 ¥7.39

4.59%

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

$20.6K ¥139.5K

$19.8K ¥134.1K

4.06%

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

$19.4K ¥131.1K

$17.9K ¥121.0K

8.32%

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

$60.6 ¥410

$52.3 ¥354

15.86%

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

$13.19 ¥89.2

$8.55 ¥57.8

54.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.56 ¥78.2

$13.63 ¥92.2

-15.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.19 ¥285

$46.03 ¥311

-8.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.83 ¥93.6

$20.43 ¥138

-32.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ¥43.91

$8.26 ¥55.9

-21.43%

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

$319 ¥2,156

$1,295 ¥8,761

-75.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.3K ¥110.3K

$31.8K ¥214.9K

-48.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$40.29 ¥273

$59.8 ¥405

-32.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.40 ¥192

$37.84 ¥256

-24.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.9 ¥466

$77.6 ¥525

-11.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$61.1 ¥414

$97.6 ¥660

-37.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,906

$935 ¥6,324

-69.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$190 ¥1,287

$563 ¥3,812

-66.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ¥3,952

$2,450 ¥16.6K

-76.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ¥2,438

$1,199 ¥8,111

-69.94%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,831 ¥19.1K

$14.1K ¥95.6K

-79.98%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,929 ¥13.1K

$6,632 ¥44.9K

-70.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,340 ¥9,068

$1,702 ¥11.5K

-21.25%

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 Heyuan: July 21, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: July 22, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Heyuan versus $935 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 27% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Heyuan versus $36.00 in Shanghai. Groceries tell a different story – $251 in Heyuan vs $228 in Shanghai – so Shanghai wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Heyuan vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $746 in Heyuan, $1,224 in Shanghai – roughly 64% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,119 per month in Heyuan and $1,836 in Shanghai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 10% cheaper in Shanghai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $15.00 in Heyuan and $36.00 in Shanghai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Heyuan, where all-in costs run around $746, than in Shanghai at $1,224. In Heyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Heyuan. 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.