Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabac and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Sabac and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $859 per month in Sabac vs $1,236 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,336 per month in Sabac vs $1,976 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,813 per month in Sabac vs $2,717 in Shanghai, rent included.

Sabac is about 31% cheaper than Shanghai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Sabac and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – Sabac 38% lower, Shanghai 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$8.32 RSD 838

$4.56 ¥30.52

82.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.83 RSD 2,805

$29.50 ¥198

-5.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.13 RSD 719

$5.37 ¥35.98

32.77%

Cappuccino

$1.96 RSD 197

$3.21 ¥21.49

-38.94%

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

$1.92 RSD 194

$0.61 ¥4.06

214.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.38 RSD 139

$0.38 ¥2.56

263.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.74 RSD 276

$1.21 ¥8.13

126.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 RSD 273

$2.71 ¥18.15

Milk (1 liter)

$1.30 RSD 132

$1.96 ¥13.13

-33.67%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 RSD 60.3

$1.85 ¥12.37

-67.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.99 RSD 200

$1.04 ¥6.96

91.35%

Eggs

$2.07 RSD 208

$1.57 ¥10.49

31.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$5.99 RSD 604

$17.49 ¥117

-65.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.77 RSD 682

$3.32 ¥22.23

103.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.91 RSD 1,200

$13.58 ¥91.0

-12.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.24 RSD 125

$2.12 ¥14.20

-41.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.91 RSD 193

$1.77 ¥11.84

7.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 RSD 146

$1.99 ¥13.33

-27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.94 RSD 196

$1.77 ¥11.84

9.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 RSD 66.6

$0.81 ¥5.44

-18.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.33 RSD 33.64

$1.01 ¥6.78

-67.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.10 RSD 111

$0.70 ¥4.68

57.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.42 RSD 42.29

$0.66 ¥4.44

-36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.87 RSD 390

$3.80 ¥25.46

1.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.10 RSD 816

$10.30 ¥69.0

-21.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 RSD 70.6

$0.94 ¥6.27

-25.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 RSD 103

$1.58 ¥10.58

-35.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.08 RSD 109

$0.59 ¥3.92

83.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.87 ¥200

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 RSD 155

$2.21 ¥14.83

-30.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.98 RSD 98.3

$0.47 ¥3.15

108.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.37 RSD 541

$8.95 ¥60.0

-40.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.79 RSD 180

$1.28 ¥8.54

39.84%

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

$32.0K RSD 3.2M

$19.6K ¥131.0K

63.65%

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

$26.4K RSD 2.7M

$19.0K ¥127.1K

38.83%

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

$146 RSD 14.8K

$59.3 ¥397

146.82%

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

$26.16 RSD 2,636

$8.62 ¥57.7

203.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$20.08 RSD 2,024

$9.90 ¥66.3

102.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.63 RSD 3,087

$65.6 ¥439

-53.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.05 RSD 1,416

$16.45 ¥110

-14.59%

Cinema Ticket

$5.87 RSD 592

$9.09 ¥60.9

-35.42%

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

$181 RSD 18.2K

$1,439 ¥9,638

-87.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,037 RSD 406.9K

$25.8K ¥172.6K

-84.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$63.8 RSD 6,433

$53.1 ¥355

20.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$69.0 RSD 6,952

$37.80 ¥253

82.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$59.4 RSD 5,987

$74.3 ¥497

-20.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$121 RSD 12.2K

$107 ¥720

12.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$234 RSD 23.6K

$1,007 ¥6,743

-76.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$157 RSD 15.8K

$565 ¥3,781

-72.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$346 RSD 34.9K

$2,406 ¥16.1K

-85.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 RSD 26.3K

$1,212 ¥8,120

-78.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,948 RSD 196.4K

$13.8K ¥92.5K

-85.89%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,562 RSD 157.4K

$6,147 ¥41.2K

-74.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$993 RSD 100.1K

$1,734 ¥11.6K

-42.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.84

3.36

44.05%

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

Last update for Sabac: September 8, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $234 in Sabac versus $1,007 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 75% 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 $28.00 in Sabac versus $29.00 in Shanghai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $190 vs $240 – making Sabac 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

Sabac vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $859 in Sabac, $1,236 in Shanghai – roughly 44% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,288 per month in Sabac and $1,854 in Shanghai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Sabac, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $28.00 in Sabac and $29.00 in Shanghai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 Sabac, where all-in costs run around $859, than in Shanghai at $1,236. In Sabac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Sabac – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sabac. 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.