Cost of Living Comparison Between Mianyang, Sichuan and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Mianyang, Sichuan and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $666 per month in Mianyang, Sichuan vs $1,220 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,055 per month in Mianyang, Sichuan vs $1,946 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,443 per month in Mianyang, Sichuan vs $2,672 in Shanghai, rent included.

Mianyang, Sichuan is about 45% cheaper than Shanghai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Mianyang, Sichuan and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – Mianyang, Sichuan 50% lower, Shanghai 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ¥19.45

$4.73 ¥32.39

-39.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$16.58 ¥114

$36.90 ¥253

-55.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.92 ¥33.70

$5.41 ¥37.03

-9.06%

Cappuccino

$2.78 ¥19.02

$3.42 ¥23.41

-18.71%

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

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.55 ¥3.76

-21.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.34 ¥2.32

-20.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.49

$1.41 ¥9.63

-22.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.52

$2.87 ¥19.67

-26.13%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.42 ¥9.75

$2.08 ¥14.23

-31.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.41 ¥9.69

$1.80 ¥12.30

-21.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.94

$1.05 ¥7.18

-17.14%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.71

$1.63 ¥11.14

14.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.87 ¥95.0

$15.36 ¥105

-9.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.37 ¥23.06

$3.08 ¥21.10

9.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.16 ¥76.5

$10.97 ¥75.1

1.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.88 ¥12.91

$2.37 ¥16.24

-20.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥8.07

$1.77 ¥12.13

-33.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.93

$1.73 ¥11.88

-16.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.27

$1.47 ¥10.05

-27.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.65 ¥4.47

$0.78 ¥5.37

-16.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.14

$1.13 ¥7.71

-33.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥4.02

$0.68 ¥4.63

-13.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.84

$0.60 ¥4.10

-6.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.30 ¥22.61

$2.82 ¥19.28

17.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.62 ¥38.49

$11.86 ¥81.2

-52.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.27

$0.80 ¥5.45

-3.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.23 ¥8.40

$1.60 ¥10.98

-23.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.83

$0.44 ¥3.00

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.68 ¥114

$35.13 ¥241

-52.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.95 ¥6.47

$2.20 ¥15.09

-56.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.79

$0.41 ¥2.80

-36.59%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.20 ¥28.75

$8.25 ¥56.5

-49.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.75

$1.10 ¥7.56

2.73%

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

$19.0K ¥130.1K

$19.8K ¥135.7K

-4.11%

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

$16.3K ¥111.5K

$18.1K ¥124.2K

-10.21%

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

$43.75 ¥300

$51.3 ¥351

-14.68%

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

$6.26 ¥42.91

$8.47 ¥58.0

-26.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.67 ¥80.0

$13.92 ¥95.4

-16.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.11 ¥282

$46.61 ¥319

-11.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.99 ¥95.9

$20.15 ¥138

-30.57%

Cinema Ticket

$5.22 ¥35.74

$8.26 ¥56.6

-36.80%

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

$339 ¥2,325

$1,309 ¥8,969

-74.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.3K ¥84.4K

$32.0K ¥219.3K

-61.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.95 ¥253

$58.2 ¥399

-36.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.20 ¥262

$38.09 ¥261

0.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$55.4 ¥380

$78.9 ¥540

-29.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.3 ¥344

$96.4 ¥660

-47.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$282 ¥1,933

$963 ¥6,595

-70.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ¥1,271

$563 ¥3,859

-67.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ¥4,065

$2,490 ¥17.1K

-76.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$364 ¥2,494

$1,197 ¥8,198

-69.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,249 ¥22.3K

$13.8K ¥94.9K

-76.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,787 ¥12.2K

$7,279 ¥49.9K

-75.46%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$710 ¥4,865

$1,671 ¥11.4K

-57.49%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.1

3.58

-13.41%

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

Last update for Mianyang, Sichuan: April 27, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $282 in Mianyang, Sichuan versus $963 in Shanghai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 135% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $17.00 in Mianyang, Sichuan versus $37.00 in Shanghai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $189 vs $226 – making Mianyang, Sichuan 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

Mianyang, Sichuan vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $666 in Mianyang, Sichuan, $1,220 in Shanghai – roughly 83% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,000 per month in Mianyang, Sichuan and $1,830 in Shanghai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $339 per month in Mianyang, Sichuan and $1,309 in Shanghai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% more in Shanghai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mianyang, Sichuan, where all-in costs run around $666, than in Shanghai at $1,220. In Mianyang, Sichuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mianyang, Sichuan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Mianyang, Sichuan. 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.