Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between San Juan del Sur and Shanghai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,045 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,206 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,739 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,958 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,432 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,710 in Shanghai, rent included.

San Juan del Sur is about 13% cheaper than Shanghai, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both San Juan del Sur and Shanghai are more affordable than the global median – San Juan del Sur 22% lower, Shanghai 10% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.22 NIO 155

$4.75 ¥32.12

-11.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.33 NIO 1,221

$36.31 ¥246

-8.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 NIO 203

$5.42 ¥36.62

2.21%

Cappuccino

$2.47 NIO 90.3

$3.54 ¥23.97

-30.23%

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

$0.84 NIO 30.95

$0.54 ¥3.67

55.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.69 NIO 25.09

$0.33 ¥2.26

109.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.30 NIO 47.56

$1.42 ¥9.61

-8.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 NIO 74.7

$2.77 ¥18.73

-26.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.87

$2.09 ¥14.11

-40.19%

White Bread (500g)

$1.49 NIO 54.6

$1.85 ¥12.52

-19.46%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 NIO 45.01

$1.07 ¥7.22

14.95%

Eggs

$1.97 NIO 72.0

$1.69 ¥11.45

16.57%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.07 NIO 296

$15.46 ¥105

-47.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.29 NIO 230

$3.22 ¥21.74

95.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.02 NIO 294

$10.81 ¥73.1

-25.81%

Apples (1kg)

$3.85 NIO 141

$2.27 ¥15.35

69.60%

Banana (1kg)

$0.89 NIO 32.41

$1.74 ¥11.78

-48.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 NIO 67.4

$1.71 ¥11.57

7.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.28 NIO 83.6

$1.51 ¥10.20

50.99%

Potato (1kg)

$3.18 NIO 116

$0.86 ¥5.80

269.77%

Onion (1kg)

$2.16 NIO 79.0

$1.15 ¥7.79

87.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 37.09

$0.67 ¥4.55

50.75%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 36.86

$0.55 ¥3.73

83.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.64 NIO 96.5

$2.76 ¥18.64

-4.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.68 NIO 355

$11.94 ¥80.7

-18.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 NIO 53.3

$0.79 ¥5.35

84.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 NIO 82.6

$1.57 ¥10.63

43.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.46 ¥240

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 NIO 54.5

$2.18 ¥14.75

-31.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.76

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.77 NIO 248

$8.37 ¥56.6

-19.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 NIO 47.32

$1.10 ¥7.42

17.27%

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

$22.9K NIO 840.3K

$19.4K ¥130.9K

18.56%

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

$26.6K NIO 973.5K

$18.0K ¥121.9K

47.40%

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

$42.02 NIO 1,539

$52.7 ¥356

-20.24%

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

$10.46 NIO 383

$8.84 ¥59.8

18.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.59 NIO 1,340

$13.62 ¥92.1

168.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.48 NIO 1,116

$46.97 ¥318

-35.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.24 ¥137

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 NIO 297

$8.40 ¥56.8

-3.33%

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

$124 NIO 4,535

$1,274 ¥8,617

-90.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,023 NIO 220.6K

$31.0K ¥209.3K

-80.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$76.8 NIO 2,812

$58.3 ¥394

31.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$72.0 NIO 2,637

$37.30 ¥252

93.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NIO 4,823

$78.1 ¥528

68.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 NIO 3,915

$97.5 ¥660

9.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$473 NIO 17.3K

$941 ¥6,361

-49.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 NIO 15.3K

$566 ¥3,827

-26.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 NIO 34.7K

$2,538 ¥17.2K

-62.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$956 NIO 35.0K

$1,179 ¥7,976

-18.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K ¥97.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,836 ¥46.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$281 NIO 10.3K

$1,653 ¥11.2K

-82.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.25

3.58

186.31%

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

Last update for San Juan del Sur: June 9, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $473 in San Juan del Sur versus $941 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 488% 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 $33.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $36.00 in Shanghai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $227 – making San Juan del Sur 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

San Juan del Sur vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,045 in San Juan del Sur, $1,206 in Shanghai – roughly 15% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,568 per month in San Juan del Sur and $1,810 in Shanghai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in San Juan del Sur, 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 $33.00 in San Juan del Sur and $36.00 in Shanghai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% 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 San Juan del Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,045, than in Shanghai at $1,206. In San Juan del Sur it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. San Juan del Sur has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $1,045 in San Juan del Sur to $1,206 in Shanghai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

If budget matters most, go with San Juan del Sur. 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.