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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $830 in Nanjing versus $1,209 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,302 in Nanjing versus $1,979 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,773 in Nanjing versus $2,749 in Shanghai.

Living in Nanjing costs roughly 31% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanjing 38% lower, Shanghai 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.42

$4.90 ¥33.19

-44.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.36 ¥151

$36.30 ¥246

-38.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 ¥32.48

$5.59 ¥37.86

-14.13%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.55 ¥24.04

-12.11%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.57 ¥3.88

-21.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.24 ¥1.62

$0.36 ¥2.46

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 ¥5.58

$1.43 ¥9.67

-42.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.06 ¥13.93

$2.85 ¥19.26

-27.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.33 ¥15.76

$2.16 ¥14.61

7.87%

White Bread (500g)

$2.16 ¥14.65

$1.78 ¥12.03

21.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.22

$1.10 ¥7.42

-30.00%

Eggs

$1.49 ¥10.12

$1.69 ¥11.44

-11.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.23 ¥62.5

$15.30 ¥104

-39.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.75 ¥18.63

$3.12 ¥21.14

-11.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.96 ¥60.6

$10.76 ¥72.8

-16.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.22 ¥15.02

$2.26 ¥15.30

-1.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.63

$1.67 ¥11.32

-14.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.63 ¥11.04

$1.80 ¥12.17

-9.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.53 ¥10.36

-21.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.23

$0.81 ¥5.46

13.58%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.17

$1.11 ¥7.53

-18.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.83 ¥5.59

$0.68 ¥4.61

22.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.86

$0.56 ¥3.76

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.52 ¥23.82

$2.84 ¥19.20

23.94%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.05 ¥88.3

$11.60 ¥78.6

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.92 ¥6.20

$0.79 ¥5.32

16.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 ¥10.20

$1.64 ¥11.07

-7.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.43 ¥2.94

-37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.67 ¥187

$34.41 ¥233

-19.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.57 ¥10.60

$2.21 ¥14.93

-28.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.43

$0.38 ¥2.56

-5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.41 ¥56.9

$8.38 ¥56.7

0.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.61

$1.14 ¥7.71

-0.88%

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

$17.0K ¥114.8K

$19.5K ¥132.3K

-13.18%

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

$14.7K ¥99.2K

$18.1K ¥122.9K

-19.24%

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

$42.34 ¥287

$52.8 ¥357

-19.83%

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

$10.72 ¥72.6

$8.53 ¥57.8

25.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.92 ¥73.9

$13.84 ¥93.7

-21.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$26.44 ¥179

$47.02 ¥318

-43.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$29.37 ¥199

$19.81 ¥134

48.26%

Cinema Ticket

$5.41 ¥36.65

$8.46 ¥57.3

-36.05%

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

$406 ¥2,748

$1,303 ¥8,817

-68.83%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.5K ¥125.0K

$31.6K ¥213.7K

-41.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.23 ¥286

$59.6 ¥403

-29.12%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.05 ¥224

$38.09 ¥258

-13.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.2 ¥455

$78.8 ¥533

-14.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.6 ¥573

$99.3 ¥672

-14.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$425 ¥2,880

$933 ¥6,313

-54.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$300 ¥2,029

$570 ¥3,858

-47.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$911 ¥6,169

$2,490 ¥16.9K

-63.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥3,664

$1,192 ¥8,070

-54.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,311 ¥35.9K

$14.0K ¥94.7K

-62.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,154 ¥21.3K

$6,729 ¥45.5K

-53.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,388 ¥9,395

$1,689 ¥11.4K

-17.81%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $425 in Nanjing and $933 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 22% 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: $22.00 in Nanjing vs $36.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $225 per month, with Nanjing 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

Nanjing vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanjing is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Shanghai earns 22% less. 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: $425 in Nanjing versus $933 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nanjing – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $830 per month in Nanjing versus $1,209 in Shanghai – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $830 in Nanjing versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nanjing but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Nanjing 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 Nanjing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 46% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.