Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanjing and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanjing and Shanghai

🙂 Solo nomad: Nanjing is 20.4% cheaper than Shanghai without rent, and 31.5% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Nanjing is 17.4% cheaper than Shanghai without rent, and 33.5% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.83 ¥20.28

$4.73 ¥33.92

-40.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.06 ¥158

$36.17 ¥259

-39.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ¥33.89

$5.6 ¥40.18

-15.54%

Cappuccino

$3.19 ¥22.91

$3.56 ¥25.53

-10.39%

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

$0.42 ¥3

$0.54 ¥3.9

-22.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ¥1.7

$0.36 ¥2.59

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥6.21

$1.43 ¥10.25

-39.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 ¥15.16

$2.76 ¥19.81

-23.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 ¥16.57

$2.18 ¥15.66

5.96%

White Bread (500g)

$2.11 ¥15.1

$1.81 ¥13

16.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.78

$1.1 ¥7.9

-26.36%

Eggs

$1.49 ¥10.66

$1.69 ¥12.1

-11.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.95 ¥64.2

$15.79 ¥113

-43.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.72 ¥19.53

$3.17 ¥22.76

-14.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 ¥64

$10.88 ¥78.1

-18.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ¥15.54

$2.26 ¥16.24

-3.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥10.12

$1.67 ¥11.98

-15.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥11.4

$1.78 ¥12.78

-10.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.68

$1.52 ¥10.94

-20.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥6.14

$0.85 ¥6.09

1.18%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.49

$1.17 ¥8.37

-22.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ¥6.23

$0.68 ¥4.84

27.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.37

$0.6 ¥4.29

1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.38 ¥24.24

$2.87 ¥20.56

17.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.2 ¥102

$11.16 ¥80

27.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥6.24

$0.8 ¥5.73

8.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.49 ¥10.7

$1.56 ¥11.22

-4.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.91

$0.4 ¥2.89

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.69 ¥199

$35.15 ¥252

-21.22%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.48 ¥10.65

$2.29 ¥16.45

-35.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.56

$0.37 ¥2.69

-2.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥58.7

$8.14 ¥58.4

0.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥8.33

$1.09 ¥7.81

6.42%

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

$17.1K ¥122.5K

$19.5K ¥140.1K

-12.55%

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

$14.7K ¥105.3K

$18.2K ¥130.5K

-19.36%

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

$42.6 ¥306

$51.6 ¥370

-17.36%

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

$10.73 ¥77

$8.68 ¥62.2

23.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.93 ¥78.4

$13.5 ¥96.8

-19.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.77 ¥192

$46.42 ¥333

-42.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 ¥211

$20.44 ¥147

43.69%

Cinema Ticket

$5.45 ¥39.11

$8.58 ¥61.5

-36.48%

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

$404 ¥2,898

$1,307 ¥9,378

-69.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.8K ¥135K

$31.4K ¥225.4K

-40.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.35 ¥311

$58.8 ¥422

-26.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.83 ¥235

$36.99 ¥265

-11.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.6 ¥485

$77.7 ¥558

-12.98%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 ¥607

$98.5 ¥706

-14.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$428 ¥3,068

$952 ¥6,827

-55.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥2,217

$574 ¥4,115

-46.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$901 ¥6,459

$2,518 ¥18.1K

-64.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$549 ¥3,940

$1,201 ¥8,614

-54.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,207 ¥44.5K

$14.4K ¥103.2K

-56.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,352 ¥24K

$7,106 ¥51K

-52.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,103 ¥7,912

$1,534 ¥11K

-28.09%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

3.58

8.10%

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

Last update for Nanjing: October 28, 2025

Last update for Shanghai: October 28, 2025

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