Cost of Living Comparison Between Rizhao and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Rizhao and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $743 in Rizhao versus $1,192 in Shanghai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,172 in Rizhao versus $1,958 in Shanghai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,601 in Rizhao versus $2,724 in Shanghai.

Living in Rizhao costs roughly 38% less than in Shanghai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Rizhao 44% lower, Shanghai 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.11 ¥21.03

$4.72 ¥31.92

-34.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.15 ¥123

$35.92 ¥243

-49.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.57 ¥30.85

$5.74 ¥38.75

-20.38%

Cappuccino

$1.83 ¥12.38

$3.52 ¥23.76

-48.01%

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

$0.51 ¥3.47

$0.57 ¥3.88

-10.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.20 ¥1.35

$0.33 ¥2.25

-39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.81 ¥5.50

$1.36 ¥9.18

-40.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.49

$2.84 ¥19.17

-24.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.65 ¥11.17

$2.10 ¥14.18

-21.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.48 ¥9.98

$1.80 ¥12.13

-17.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$1.05 ¥7.12

-59.05%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.26

$1.68 ¥11.33

7.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$14.66 ¥99.1

$15.78 ¥107

-7.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.05 ¥27.36

$3.17 ¥21.39

27.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.33 ¥69.8

$11.02 ¥74.5

-6.26%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 ¥9.26

$2.38 ¥16.05

-42.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.81

$1.69 ¥11.45

-40.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$1.78 ¥12.05

-61.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.88

$1.45 ¥9.82

-29.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.04

$0.83 ¥5.63

-9.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.94 ¥6.37

$0.68 ¥4.56

38.24%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.47 ¥3.21

$0.60 ¥4.05

-21.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.93 ¥26.55

$2.82 ¥19.03

39.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.07 ¥68.1

$11.74 ¥79.3

-14.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$0.78 ¥5.27

26.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.64

$1.57 ¥10.62

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.80

$0.41 ¥2.74

-34.15%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.59 ¥112

$35.05 ¥237

-52.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.08 ¥7.30

$2.26 ¥15.26

-52.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.32

$0.37 ¥2.52

-8.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.11 ¥48.03

$8.18 ¥55.3

-13.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.15 ¥7.79

-0.87%

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

$20.3K ¥137.3K

$19.3K ¥130.3K

5.33%

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

$13.6K ¥91.6K

$17.7K ¥119.8K

-23.51%

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

$51.2 ¥346

$53.0 ¥358

-3.47%

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

$10.97 ¥74.1

$8.77 ¥59.3

25.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.39 ¥70.2

$13.78 ¥93.1

-24.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.00 ¥284

$45.42 ¥307

-7.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.71 ¥92.6

$20.00 ¥135

-31.45%

Cinema Ticket

$6.92 ¥46.78

$8.30 ¥56.1

-16.63%

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

$337 ¥2,280

$1,264 ¥8,542

-73.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ¥116.3K

$31.7K ¥214.0K

-45.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$75.1 ¥508

$57.7 ¥390

30.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 ¥255

$37.93 ¥256

-0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$81.0 ¥548

$77.0 ¥520

5.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 ¥672

$96.7 ¥654

2.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$274 ¥1,853

$955 ¥6,456

-71.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$187 ¥1,267

$555 ¥3,749

-66.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$587 ¥3,968

$2,497 ¥16.9K

-76.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$366 ¥2,470

$1,207 ¥8,154

-69.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,038 ¥20.5K

$14.3K ¥96.6K

-78.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,953 ¥13.2K

$6,625 ¥44.8K

-70.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.81

3.58

6.42%

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

Last update for Rizhao: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $274 in Rizhao and $955 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $18.00 in Rizhao vs $36.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $228 per month, with Rizhao 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

Rizhao vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Rizhao and Shanghai differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($743 vs $1,192 including rent). Rizhao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,115 in Rizhao and $1,788 in Shanghai to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $274 in Rizhao versus $955 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rizhao – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $743 per month in Rizhao versus $1,192 in Shanghai – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $743 in Rizhao versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rizhao but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Rizhao 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 Rizhao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.