Cost of Living Comparison Between Maseru and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Maseru and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $670 in Maseru versus $1,192 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,115 in Maseru versus $1,958 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,561 in Maseru versus $2,724 in Shanghai.

Living in Maseru costs roughly 44% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Maseru 50% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.12 LSL 182

$4.72 ¥31.97

135.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.74 LSL 406

$35.92 ¥243

-31.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.04 LSL 181

$5.74 ¥38.81

92.33%

Cappuccino

$1.80 LSL 29.47

$3.52 ¥23.80

-48.86%

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

$1.27 LSL 20.90

$0.57 ¥3.88

122.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 LSL 13.07

$0.33 ¥2.25

142.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.99 LSL 32.62

$1.36 ¥9.20

46.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 LSL 36.23

$2.84 ¥19.20

-22.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.99 LSL 16.16

$2.10 ¥14.20

-52.86%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 LSL 12.47

$1.80 ¥12.15

-57.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.20 LSL 36.09

$1.05 ¥7.13

109.52%

Eggs

$1.35 LSL 22.18

$1.68 ¥11.35

-19.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.93 LSL 114

$15.78 ¥107

-56.08%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.64 LSL 92.6

$3.17 ¥21.43

77.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$5.54 LSL 90.8

$11.02 ¥74.6

-49.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 LSL 26.41

$2.38 ¥16.08

-32.35%

Banana (1kg)

$2.05 LSL 33.64

$1.69 ¥11.47

21.30%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.47 LSL 40.58

$1.78 ¥12.07

38.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.21 LSL 36.30

$1.45 ¥9.83

52.41%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 LSL 23.36

$0.83 ¥5.64

71.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.47 LSL 24.12

$1.13 ¥7.64

30.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.32 LSL 21.61

$0.68 ¥4.57

94.12%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 LSL 13.90

$0.60 ¥4.06

41.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.89 LSL 80.3

$2.82 ¥19.06

73.40%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.08 LSL 116

$11.74 ¥79.5

-39.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 LSL 16.62

$0.78 ¥5.28

29.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 LSL 22.54

$1.57 ¥10.64

-12.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.71 LSL 11.60

$0.41 ¥2.74

73.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.72 LSL 455

$35.05 ¥237

-20.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.64 LSL 10.49

$2.26 ¥15.28

-71.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 LSL 10.30

$0.37 ¥2.52

70.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.12 LSL 166

$8.18 ¥55.4

23.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 LSL 18.77

$1.15 ¥7.80

-0.87%

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

$19.9K LSL 325.9K

$19.3K ¥130.5K

3.02%

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

$15.3K LSL 251.2K

$17.7K ¥120.0K

-13.58%

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

$53.0 ¥359

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

$13.53 LSL 222

$8.77 ¥59.4

54.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.63 LSL 519

$13.78 ¥93.3

129.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$21.63 LSL 355

$45.42 ¥307

-52.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.2

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

$47.85 LSL 785

$1,264 ¥8,555

-96.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,104 LSL 18.1K

$31.7K ¥214.3K

-96.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.18 LSL 692

$57.7 ¥390

-26.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.98 LSL 639

$37.93 ¥257

2.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.7 LSL 1,602

$77.0 ¥521

26.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$138 LSL 2,266

$96.7 ¥655

42.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$143 LSL 2,338

$955 ¥6,466

-85.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$71.6 LSL 1,174

$555 ¥3,755

-87.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 LSL 6,586

$2,497 ¥16.9K

-83.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$159 LSL 2,603

$1,207 ¥8,166

-86.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$391 LSL 6,415

$14.3K ¥96.7K

-97.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$533 LSL 8,733

$6,625 ¥44.8K

-91.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$631 LSL 10.3K

$1,702 ¥11.5K

-62.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

8.5

3.58

137.43%

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

Last update for Maseru: July 12, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $143 in Maseru and $955 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 170% 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: $25.00 in Maseru vs $36.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $183 vs $228 per month, with Maseru cheaper across the board.

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

Maseru vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Maseru and Shanghai differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($670 vs $1,192 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 170% 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: $143 in Maseru versus $955 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $670 per month in Maseru versus $1,192 in Shanghai – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Maseru versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maseru but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Maseru 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 Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.