Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanchong and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanchong and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $648 per month in Nanchong vs $1,194 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,027 per month in Nanchong vs $1,972 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,407 per month in Nanchong vs $2,750 in Shanghai, rent included.

Nanchong is about 46% cheaper than Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Nanchong and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – Nanchong 52% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.70 ¥11.60

$4.97 ¥33.95

-65.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.56 ¥140

$36.17 ¥247

-43.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.43 ¥23.43

$5.42 ¥37.04

-36.72%

Cappuccino

$2.41 ¥16.43

$3.56 ¥24.31

-32.30%

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

$0.39 ¥2.68

$0.53 ¥3.64

-26.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥2.00

$0.33 ¥2.28

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.00 ¥6.86

$1.35 ¥9.23

-25.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.15

$2.76 ¥18.87

-40.94%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.95

$2.13 ¥14.54

-17.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.25 ¥8.55

$1.84 ¥12.58

-32.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.99

$1.05 ¥7.19

-30.48%

Eggs

$1.36 ¥9.32

$1.68 ¥11.45

-19.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.52 ¥106

$15.58 ¥106

-0.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.49 ¥17.03

$3.24 ¥22.13

-23.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.12 ¥69.1

$10.83 ¥74.0

-6.56%

Apples (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.44

$2.37 ¥16.22

-54.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.45

$1.69 ¥11.57

-35.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.76

$1.80 ¥12.27

-45.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.67

$1.48 ¥10.09

-54.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ¥3.94

$0.85 ¥5.83

-31.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.85

$1.17 ¥7.99

-39.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.83

$0.62 ¥4.25

-9.68%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ¥2.76

$0.61 ¥4.15

-34.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.17 ¥21.62

$2.81 ¥19.17

12.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.66 ¥59.2

$11.89 ¥81.2

-27.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.45

$0.79 ¥5.38

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.97 ¥13.43

$1.57 ¥10.72

25.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.44 ¥2.98

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.57 ¥113

$34.93 ¥239

-52.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.82 ¥5.61

$2.24 ¥15.33

-63.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.21

$0.38 ¥2.59

-15.79%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.75 ¥18.81

$8.23 ¥56.2

-66.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 ¥7.61

$1.15 ¥7.87

-3.48%

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

$18.0K ¥122.9K

$19.9K ¥135.8K

-9.48%

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

$16.5K ¥112.8K

$17.8K ¥121.8K

-7.40%

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

$36.67 ¥250

$52.2 ¥357

-29.75%

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

$6.12 ¥41.80

$8.70 ¥59.4

-29.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$6.79 ¥46.36

$13.58 ¥92.7

-50.00%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.26 ¥289

$46.31 ¥316

-8.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥96.3

$20.45 ¥140

-31.05%

Cinema Ticket

$5.60 ¥38.26

$8.26 ¥56.5

-32.20%

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

$335 ¥2,289

$1,266 ¥8,649

-73.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$26.5K ¥181.0K

$31.9K ¥218.2K

-17.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$29.16 ¥199

$59.8 ¥408

-51.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.29 ¥193

$38.23 ¥261

-26.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$58.6 ¥400

$77.2 ¥527

-24.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$60.4 ¥412

$96.2 ¥657

-37.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$283 ¥1,931

$948 ¥6,478

-70.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$188 ¥1,287

$572 ¥3,908

-67.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$584 ¥3,986

$2,473 ¥16.9K

-76.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$359 ¥2,455

$1,206 ¥8,239

-70.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,159 ¥21.6K

$14.1K ¥96.2K

-77.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,712 ¥11.7K

$7,213 ¥49.3K

-76.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.74

3.58

4.47%

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

Last update for Nanchong: April 13, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $283 in Nanchong 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 $21 in Nanchong versus $36 in Shanghai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $183 vs $228 – making Nanchong 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

Nanchong vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $648 in Nanchong, $1,194 in Shanghai – roughly 84% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $972 per month in Nanchong 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 Nanchong, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $335 per month in Nanchong and $1,266 in Shanghai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 24% 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 Nanchong, where all-in costs run around $648, than in Shanghai at $1,194. In Nanchong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nanchong – 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 Nanchong. 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.