Cost of Living Comparison Between Quzhou and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Quzhou and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $695 per month in Quzhou vs $1,194 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,079 per month in Quzhou vs $1,972 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,463 per month in Quzhou vs $2,750 in Shanghai, rent included.

Quzhou is about 42% cheaper than Shanghai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Quzhou and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – Quzhou 48% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.48

$4.97 ¥33.95

-42.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$14.05 ¥96.0

$36.17 ¥247

-61.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.94 ¥33.76

$5.42 ¥37.04

-8.86%

Cappuccino

$2.55 ¥17.43

$3.56 ¥24.31

-28.37%

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

$0.36 ¥2.48

$0.53 ¥3.64

-32.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.22 ¥1.50

$0.33 ¥2.28

-33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.68 ¥4.64

$1.35 ¥9.23

-49.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.23

$2.76 ¥18.87

-40.58%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.43 ¥9.75

$2.13 ¥14.54

-32.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.93 ¥13.16

$1.84 ¥12.58

4.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.92

$1.05 ¥7.19

-31.43%

Eggs

$1.70 ¥11.60

$1.68 ¥11.45

1.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.27 ¥90.6

$15.58 ¥106

-14.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.46 ¥16.78

$3.24 ¥22.13

-24.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 ¥66.5

$10.83 ¥74.0

-10.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.01 ¥13.73

$2.37 ¥16.22

-15.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.70

$1.69 ¥11.57

-15.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.38

$1.80 ¥12.27

-7.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.54

$1.48 ¥10.09

-15.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.89

$0.85 ¥5.83

-15.29%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$1.17 ¥7.99

-41.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ¥3.63

$0.62 ¥4.25

-14.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.41 ¥2.82

$0.61 ¥4.15

-32.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ¥29.31

$2.81 ¥19.17

52.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.07 ¥55.1

$11.89 ¥81.2

-32.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.35 ¥2.41

$0.79 ¥5.38

-55.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.67 ¥4.58

$1.57 ¥10.72

-57.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.44 ¥2.98

-38.64%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.65 ¥114

$34.93 ¥239

-52.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.12 ¥7.65

$2.24 ¥15.33

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.87

$0.38 ¥2.59

10.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.19 ¥42.30

$8.23 ¥56.2

-24.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.77

$1.15 ¥7.87

-0.87%

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

$19.1K ¥130.6K

$19.9K ¥135.8K

-3.86%

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

$17.2K ¥117.8K

$17.8K ¥121.8K

-3.30%

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

$44.57 ¥304

$52.2 ¥357

-14.62%

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

$11.43 ¥78.1

$8.70 ¥59.4

31.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.50 ¥78.6

$13.58 ¥92.7

-15.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.38 ¥289

$46.31 ¥316

-8.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 ¥96.8

$20.45 ¥140

-30.66%

Cinema Ticket

$5.62 ¥38.39

$8.26 ¥56.5

-31.96%

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

$446 ¥3,047

$1,266 ¥8,649

-64.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ¥115.1K

$31.9K ¥218.2K

-47.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$28.20 ¥193

$59.8 ¥408

-52.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.20 ¥193

$38.23 ¥261

-26.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥496

$77.2 ¥527

-6.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.9 ¥634

$96.2 ¥657

-3.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$281 ¥1,919

$948 ¥6,478

-70.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$184 ¥1,259

$572 ¥3,908

-67.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$586 ¥4,003

$2,473 ¥16.9K

-76.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$365 ¥2,490

$1,206 ¥8,239

-69.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,399 ¥23.2K

$14.1K ¥96.2K

-75.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,007 ¥13.7K

$7,213 ¥49.3K

-72.17%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ¥4,499

$1,682 ¥11.5K

-60.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.58

-2.23%

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

Last update for Quzhou: April 13, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $281 in Quzhou 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.

Salaries run about 155% 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 $14 in Quzhou versus $36 in Shanghai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $186 vs $228 – making Quzhou 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

Quzhou vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,042 per month in Quzhou 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 Quzhou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 110% less in Quzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $446 per month in Quzhou and $1,266 in Shanghai. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quzhou, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Shanghai at $1,194. In Quzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quzhou – 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 Quzhou. 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.