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 $1,058 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,220 in Shanghai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,734 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $1,946 in Shanghai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,410 per month in San Juan del Sur vs $2,672 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 21% lower, Shanghai 9% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.08 NIO 150

$4.73 ¥32.39

-13.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$33.82 NIO 1,243

$36.90 ¥253

-8.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.63 NIO 207

$5.41 ¥37.03

4.07%

Cappuccino

$2.36 NIO 86.9

$3.42 ¥23.41

-30.99%

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

$0.81 NIO 29.69

$0.55 ¥3.76

47.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.68 NIO 24.89

$0.34 ¥2.32

100.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.32 NIO 48.70

$1.41 ¥9.63

-6.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.95 NIO 71.8

$2.87 ¥19.67

-32.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 NIO 45.01

$2.08 ¥14.23

-41.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.53 NIO 56.4

$1.80 ¥12.30

-15.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 NIO 45.13

$1.05 ¥7.18

17.14%

Eggs

$1.87 NIO 68.9

$1.63 ¥11.14

14.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.94 NIO 292

$15.36 ¥105

-48.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$6.42 NIO 236

$3.08 ¥21.10

108.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.17 NIO 300

$10.97 ¥75.1

-25.52%

Apples (1kg)

$4.00 NIO 147

$2.37 ¥16.24

68.78%

Banana (1kg)

$0.86 NIO 31.50

$1.77 ¥12.13

-51.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 NIO 65.3

$1.73 ¥11.88

2.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.29 NIO 84.4

$1.47 ¥10.05

55.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.30 NIO 121

$0.78 ¥5.37

323.08%

Onion (1kg)

$2.23 NIO 82.0

$1.13 ¥7.71

97.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 NIO 37.22

$0.68 ¥4.63

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.01 NIO 37.09

$0.60 ¥4.10

68.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.60 NIO 95.7

$2.82 ¥19.28

-7.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.97 NIO 366

$11.86 ¥81.2

-15.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.40 NIO 51.4

$0.80 ¥5.45

75.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 NIO 81.0

$1.60 ¥10.98

37.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.00

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 ¥241

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.54 NIO 56.5

$2.20 ¥15.09

-30.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.80

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.97 NIO 256

$8.25 ¥56.5

-15.52%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 NIO 45.93

$1.10 ¥7.56

13.64%

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

$22.6K NIO 829.5K

$19.8K ¥135.7K

13.91%

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

$25.9K NIO 952.4K

$18.1K ¥124.2K

42.91%

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

$43.25 NIO 1,590

$51.3 ¥351

-15.66%

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

$10.71 NIO 394

$8.47 ¥58.0

26.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.69 NIO 1,349

$13.92 ¥95.4

163.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.06 NIO 1,105

$46.61 ¥319

-35.51%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 ¥138

Cinema Ticket

$7.84 NIO 288

$8.26 ¥56.6

-5.08%

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

$125 NIO 4,590

$1,309 ¥8,969

-90.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,054 NIO 222.5K

$32.0K ¥219.3K

-81.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$78.2 NIO 2,876

$58.2 ¥399

34.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$73.0 NIO 2,682

$38.09 ¥261

91.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$132 NIO 4,839

$78.9 ¥540

66.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 NIO 3,906

$96.4 ¥660

10.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$474 NIO 17.4K

$963 ¥6,595

-50.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 NIO 15.2K

$563 ¥3,859

-26.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$942 NIO 34.6K

$2,490 ¥17.1K

-62.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$978 NIO 36.0K

$1,197 ¥8,198

-18.24%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥94.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,279 ¥49.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$279 NIO 10.3K

$1,671 ¥11.4K

-83.29%

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: April 26, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $474 in San Juan del Sur versus $963 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 498% 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 $34.00 in San Juan del Sur versus $37.00 in Shanghai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $226 – 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: $1,058 in San Juan del Sur, $1,220 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 $1,587 per month in San Juan del Sur and $1,830 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 $34.00 in San Juan del Sur and $37.00 in Shanghai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 0% cheaper in Shanghai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in San Juan del Sur, where all-in costs run around $1,058, than in Shanghai at $1,220. 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 $1,058 in San Juan del Sur to $1,220 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.