Cost of Living Comparison Between Kunshan and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Kunshan and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $705 per month in Kunshan vs $1,194 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,123 per month in Kunshan vs $1,972 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,542 per month in Kunshan vs $2,750 in Shanghai, rent included.

Kunshan is about 41% cheaper than Shanghai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Kunshan and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – Kunshan 48% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.74 ¥18.73

$4.97 ¥33.95

-44.87%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.68 ¥148

$36.17 ¥247

-40.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥34.01

$5.42 ¥37.04

-8.12%

Cappuccino

$3.07 ¥20.94

$3.56 ¥24.31

-13.76%

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

$0.43 ¥2.96

$0.53 ¥3.64

-18.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.33 ¥2.28

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ¥6.37

$1.35 ¥9.23

-31.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.14 ¥14.61

$2.76 ¥18.87

-22.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.66

$2.13 ¥14.54

-13.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.56 ¥10.67

$1.84 ¥12.58

-15.22%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$1.05 ¥7.19

-13.33%

Eggs

$1.59 ¥10.85

$1.68 ¥11.45

-5.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.58 ¥86.0

$15.58 ¥106

-19.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.10 ¥21.19

$3.24 ¥22.13

-4.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.08 ¥68.9

$10.83 ¥74.0

-6.93%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.41

$2.37 ¥16.22

-23.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.22 ¥8.32

$1.69 ¥11.57

-27.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.61

$1.80 ¥12.27

-13.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.82

$1.48 ¥10.09

-22.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥5.01

$0.85 ¥5.83

-14.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.47

$1.17 ¥7.99

-18.80%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.89

$0.62 ¥4.25

-8.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.77

$0.61 ¥4.15

-9.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.21 ¥21.93

$2.81 ¥19.17

14.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.51 ¥71.8

$11.89 ¥81.2

-11.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.49

$0.79 ¥5.38

1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.78

$1.57 ¥10.72

0.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.44 ¥2.98

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.76 ¥114

$34.93 ¥239

-52.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.38

$2.24 ¥15.33

-38.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.24

$0.38 ¥2.59

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥46.39

$8.23 ¥56.2

-17.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.93

$1.15 ¥7.87

0.87%

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

$19.7K ¥134.4K

$19.9K ¥135.8K

-1.04%

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

$16.9K ¥115.3K

$17.8K ¥121.8K

-5.32%

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

$44.83 ¥306

$52.2 ¥357

-14.12%

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

$9.55 ¥65.3

$8.70 ¥59.4

9.77%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.88 ¥81.2

$13.58 ¥92.7

-12.52%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.14 ¥281

$46.31 ¥316

-11.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ¥95.5

$20.45 ¥140

-31.59%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 ¥40.97

$8.26 ¥56.5

-27.36%

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

$332 ¥2,266

$1,266 ¥8,649

-73.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥116.4K

$31.9K ¥218.2K

-46.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.48 ¥304

$59.8 ¥408

-25.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.99 ¥205

$38.23 ¥261

-21.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.7 ¥483

$77.2 ¥527

-8.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.9 ¥484

$96.2 ¥657

-26.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥1,915

$948 ¥6,478

-70.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$195 ¥1,331

$572 ¥3,908

-65.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ¥4,052

$2,473 ¥16.9K

-76.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$360 ¥2,455

$1,206 ¥8,239

-70.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,973 ¥20.3K

$14.1K ¥96.2K

-78.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,017 ¥13.8K

$7,213 ¥49.3K

-72.04%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

3.58

8.66%

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

Last update for Kunshan: April 12, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $280 in Kunshan versus $948 in Shanghai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22 in Kunshan versus $36 in Shanghai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $197 vs $228 – making Kunshan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Kunshan vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 69%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,057 per month in Kunshan and $1,790 in Shanghai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Kunshan and $36.00 in Shanghai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $705 in Kunshan and $1,194 in Shanghai. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kunshan, where all-in costs run around $705, than in Shanghai at $1,194. In Kunshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kunshan – 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 Kunshan. 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.