Last update: Oct 2026
Cost of Living Comparison Between Kaesong and Shanghai
-
🍽 Eating Out
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
-
$4.55 ¥30.41
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Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
-
$29.52 ¥197
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Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
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$5.10 ¥34.08
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Cappuccino
-
$3.42 ¥22.88
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Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.61 ¥4.11
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Water (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$0.36 ¥2.40
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Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.21 ¥8.07
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Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.29 ¥15.31
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
-
$1.86 ¥12.46
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White Bread (500g)
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$2.01 ¥13.45
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Rice (white) (1kg)
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$1.02 ¥6.83
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Eggs
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$1.72 ¥11.46
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Local Cheese (1kg)
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$17.19 ¥115
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Chicken Fillets (1kg)
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$3.35 ¥22.39
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Beef Round Steak (1kg)
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$12.80 ¥85.5
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Apples (1kg)
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$2.17 ¥14.51
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Banana (1kg)
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$1.74 ¥11.65
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Oranges (1kg)
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$1.94 ¥12.97
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Tomato (1kg)
-
$1.68 ¥11.23
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Potato (1kg)
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$0.77 ¥5.17
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Onion (1kg)
-
$0.93 ¥6.21
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Lettuce (1 head)
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$0.62 ¥4.16
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Water (1.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.58 ¥3.88
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Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
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$3.83 ¥25.60
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Wine (Bottle)
-
$10.94 ¥73.1
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Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.84 ¥5.59
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Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.60 ¥10.71
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🚌 Getting Around
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
-
$0.59 ¥3.92
-
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$30.27 ¥202
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
-
$2.06 ¥13.77
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Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
-
$0.47 ¥3.13
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Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$8.80 ¥58.8
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Gasoline (1 liter)
-
$1.27 ¥8.51
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Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
-
$19.6K ¥131.0K
-
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
-
$18.6K ¥124.2K
-
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
-
$57.2 ¥382
-
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
-
$8.06 ¥53.8
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Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
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$10.52 ¥70.3
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🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
-
$64.6 ¥432
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Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
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$17.63 ¥118
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Cinema Ticket
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$8.84 ¥59.1
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🧸 Childcare & Education
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
-
$1,437 ¥9,605
-
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
-
$28.1K ¥187.6K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$54.7 ¥365
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$36.43 ¥243
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Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
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$75.4 ¥504
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Men's Leather Business Shoes
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$104 ¥695
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🏠 Accommodation & Living
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,039 ¥6,945
-
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$589 ¥3,933
-
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
-
$2,487 ¥16.6K
-
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
-
$1,237 ¥8,269
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Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
-
$13.6K ¥90.8K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
-
$6,191 ¥41.4K
-
💵 Salaries & Financials
Kaesong
Shanghai
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
-
$1,715 ¥11.5K
-
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
3.36
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Kaesong: October 3, 2026
Last update for Shanghai: October 4, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Kaesong –
Shanghai $589 47.1%
Groceries & Markets
Kaesong –
Shanghai $237 19%
Clothing & Footwear
Kaesong –
Shanghai $122 9.7%
Eating Out
Kaesong –
Shanghai $107 8.6%
Sport & Entertainment
Kaesong –
Shanghai $82 6.6%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaesong –
Shanghai $76 6.1%
Getting Around
Kaesong –
Shanghai $37 3%
Accommodation & Living
Kaesong –
Shanghai $1.2K 44.8%
Groceries & Markets
Kaesong –
Shanghai $551 19.9%
Clothing & Footwear
Kaesong –
Shanghai $270 9.8%
Eating Out
Kaesong –
Shanghai $362 13.1%
Sport & Entertainment
Kaesong –
Shanghai $182 6.6%
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Kaesong –
Shanghai $84 3%
Getting Around
Kaesong –
Shanghai $75 2.7%
Good to know
🇰🇵 Kaesong
🇨🇳 Shanghai
Weather
Population
308,000
24,870,895
Exchange rates and currency converter
On the map
Lowest
Highest
Between locations
- Kaesong Shanghai 880 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
- Kaesong
- 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
Kaesong vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Where should families live: Kaesong or Shanghai?
Families tend to lean toward Kaesong – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How do I decide between Kaesong and Shanghai?
If budget matters most, go with Kaesong. 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.
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