Cost of Living Comparison Between Kunming, Yunnan and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kunming, Yunnan and Shanghai

😐 Solo nomad: Kunming, Yunnan is 0.2% more expensive than Shanghai without rent, and 32.4% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Kunming, Yunnan is 10.8% cheaper than Shanghai without rent, and 35.6% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.73 ¥19.6

$4.73 ¥33.92

-42.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.92 ¥200

$36.17 ¥259

-22.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.07 ¥50.7

$5.6 ¥40.18

26.25%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥21.57

$3.56 ¥25.53

-15.45%

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

$0.46 ¥3.32

$0.54 ¥3.9

-14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.78

$0.36 ¥2.59

-30.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.69

$1.43 ¥10.25

-5.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥14.6

$2.76 ¥19.81

-26.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ¥14.3

$2.18 ¥15.66

-8.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥12.1

$1.81 ¥13

-6.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.28 ¥9.22

$1.1 ¥7.9

16.36%

Eggs

$1.77 ¥12.69

$1.69 ¥12.1

4.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.78 ¥48.63

$15.79 ¥113

-57.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.2 ¥30.16

$3.17 ¥22.76

32.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 ¥78.7

$10.88 ¥78.1

0.83%

Apples (1kg)

$1.27 ¥9.1

$2.26 ¥16.24

-43.81%

Banana (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.97

$1.67 ¥11.98

-41.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ¥9.79

$1.78 ¥12.78

-23.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.1 ¥7.86

$1.52 ¥10.94

-27.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.34 ¥2.43

$0.85 ¥6.09

-60.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ¥6.15

$1.17 ¥8.37

-26.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.58 ¥11.3

$0.68 ¥4.84

132.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.63 ¥4.5

$0.6 ¥4.29

5.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.05 ¥14.7

$2.87 ¥20.56

-28.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$6.21 ¥44.52

$11.16 ¥80

-44.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.72 ¥5.15

$0.8 ¥5.73

-10.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.82

$1.56 ¥11.22

-3.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.44

$0.4 ¥2.89

55.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.53 ¥248

$35.15 ¥252

-1.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ¥8.11

$2.29 ¥16.45

-50.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.86

$0.37 ¥2.69

-29.73%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14 ¥100

$8.14 ¥58.4

71.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥8.05

$1.09 ¥7.81

2.75%

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

$20.5K ¥147.1K

$19.5K ¥140.1K

4.97%

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

$17.2K ¥123.5K

$18.2K ¥130.5K

-5.40%

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

$50.5 ¥362

$51.6 ¥370

-2.13%

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

$15.33 ¥110

$8.68 ¥62.2

76.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$16.36 ¥117

$13.5 ¥96.8

21.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$68.7 ¥493

$46.42 ¥333

48.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.55 ¥190

$20.44 ¥147

29.89%

Cinema Ticket

$6.36 ¥45.61

$8.58 ¥61.5

-25.87%

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

$420 ¥3,010

$1,307 ¥9,378

-67.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13K ¥93.3K

$31.4K ¥225.4K

-58.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$69.2 ¥496

$58.8 ¥422

17.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.41 ¥240

$36.99 ¥265

-9.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.1 ¥453

$77.7 ¥558

-18.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥748

$98.5 ¥706

5.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥2,026

$952 ¥6,827

-70.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$210 ¥1,508

$574 ¥4,115

-63.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$505 ¥3,626

$2,518 ¥18.1K

-79.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$349 ¥2,504

$1,201 ¥8,614

-70.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,306 ¥23.7K

$14.4K ¥103.2K

-77.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,358 ¥9,739

$7,106 ¥51K

-80.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$818 ¥5,864

$1,534 ¥11K

-46.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.45

3.58

24.30%

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

Last update for Kunming, Yunnan: October 29, 2025

Last update for Shanghai: October 28, 2025

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