Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Lanzhou and Shanghai

For one person, living is cheaper in Lanzhou: $719 a month against $1,244 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $6,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Lanzhou
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Lanzhou Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index

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Lanzhou

🇨🇳 China

$719

/mo nomad

Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Lanzhou and in Shanghai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Lanzhou and in Shanghai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $719 in Lanzhou versus $1,244 in Shanghai.

Lanzhou $719
Shanghai $1,244

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,143 in Lanzhou versus $1,999 in Shanghai.

Lanzhou $1,143
Shanghai $1,999

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,567 in Lanzhou versus $2,755 in Shanghai.

Lanzhou $1,567
Shanghai $2,755

Living in Lanzhou costs roughly 42% less than in Shanghai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in leisure.

Both cities sit below the global median: Lanzhou 47% lower, Shanghai 8% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.06 ¥13.80

$4.56 ¥30.47

-54.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.34 ¥189

$30.21 ¥202

-6.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.86 ¥39.15

$5.25 ¥35.13

11.62%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥20.89

$3.28 ¥21.94

-4.88%

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

$0.48 ¥3.19

$0.57 ¥3.84

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.93

$0.36 ¥2.39

-19.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.35

$1.23 ¥8.23

-10.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$2.27 ¥15.18

-11.01%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.77 ¥11.81

$1.84 ¥12.30

-3.80%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.75

$1.96 ¥13.08

-17.86%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.40

$1.03 ¥6.87

-6.80%

Eggs

$1.60 ¥10.72

$1.67 ¥11.16

-4.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 ¥88.4

$16.96 ¥113

-22.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.43 ¥22.92

$3.19 ¥21.33

7.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.11 ¥81.0

$12.90 ¥86.3

-6.12%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.09

$2.24 ¥15.00

-19.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.56

$1.66 ¥11.13

-22.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥9.97

$2.02 ¥13.54

-26.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.32

$1.66 ¥11.08

-25.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.70

$0.77 ¥5.17

-9.09%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$0.63 ¥4.19

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.70

$0.60 ¥3.99

-8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.77 ¥25.19

$3.80 ¥25.44

-0.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.52 ¥77.0

$10.87 ¥72.7

5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.52

$0.82 ¥5.51

1.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.53 ¥10.25

$1.61 ¥10.76

-4.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.61 ¥4.11

-52.46%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.07 ¥121

$29.40 ¥197

-38.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ¥9.91

$2.11 ¥14.11

-29.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.17

$0.43 ¥2.87

-25.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.12 ¥47.58

$9.06 ¥60.6

-21.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.46 ¥9.73

$1.33 ¥8.89

9.77%

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

$17.5K ¥117.2K

$19.0K ¥127.2K

-7.85%

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

$15.0K ¥100.4K

$18.7K ¥125.1K

-19.77%

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

$58.0 ¥388

$57.8 ¥387

0.35%

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

$8.79 ¥58.8

$8.09 ¥54.1

8.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.18 ¥74.8

$10.48 ¥70.0

6.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.33 ¥283

$65.7 ¥439

-35.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.69 ¥98.2

$17.82 ¥119

-17.56%

Cinema Ticket

$6.29 ¥42.06

$8.95 ¥59.9

-29.72%

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

$412 ¥2,756

$1,414 ¥9,451

-70.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.6K ¥117.6K

$27.9K ¥186.2K

-36.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.85 ¥287

$54.0 ¥361

-20.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.44 ¥224

$37.09 ¥248

-9.84%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.6 ¥505

$74.3 ¥496

1.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.1 ¥495

$106 ¥706

-29.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$295 ¥1,971

$1,055 ¥7,056

-72.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$168 ¥1,126

$585 ¥3,910

-71.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ¥4,186

$2,485 ¥16.6K

-74.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$297 ¥1,986

$1,232 ¥8,240

-75.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,671 ¥17.9K

$13.9K ¥93.1K

-80.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,611 ¥10.8K

$6,253 ¥41.8K

-74.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$953 ¥6,375

$1,711 ¥11.4K

-44.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

-10.71%

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

Last update for Lanzhou: October 13, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Lanzhou

$209 29.1%

Shanghai

$235 18.9% 12.2% $26

Accommodation & Living

Lanzhou

$168 23.4%

Shanghai

$585 47% 247% $416

Clothing & Footwear

Lanzhou

$102 14.2%

Shanghai

$122 9.8% 19.9% $20

Eating Out

Lanzhou

$84 11.7%

Shanghai

$106 8.5% 26% $22

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Lanzhou

$78 10.9%

Shanghai

$76 6.1% 2.1% $1.6

Sport & Entertainment

Lanzhou

$55 7.6%

Shanghai

$84 6.7% 52.2% $29

Getting Around

Lanzhou

$22 3.1%

Shanghai

$36 2.9% 61.8% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $295 in Lanzhou and $1,055 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 79% 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: $28.00 in Lanzhou vs $30.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $235 per month, with Lanzhou cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Lanzhou

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🕒 Local time

12:26 12:26 PM

Same time as Lanzhou

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

3,688,400

24,870,895

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

On the map

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Between locations

Lanzhou Shanghai 1,720 km ≈ 2 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Lanzhou
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

Lanzhou vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lanzhou is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 79% lower in Shanghai. 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: $295 in Lanzhou versus $1,055 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $412 in Lanzhou versus $1,414 in Shanghai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $719 in Lanzhou versus $1,244 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lanzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Lanzhou 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 Lanzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.