Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Agana Heights

For one person, living is cheaper in Agana Heights: $1,009 a month against $1,250 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Shanghai outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,250

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Agana Heights

🇬🇺 Guam

$1,009

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Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Agana Heights

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shanghai and in Agana Heights actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,250 in Shanghai versus $1,009 in Agana Heights.

Shanghai $1,250
Agana Heights $1,009

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,019 in Shanghai versus $1,355 in Agana Heights.

Shanghai $2,019
Agana Heights $1,355

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,789 in Shanghai versus $1,701 in Agana Heights.

Shanghai $2,789
Agana Heights $1,701

Living in Shanghai is roughly 24% more expensive than in Agana Heights, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 7% lower, Agana Heights 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.55 ¥30.45

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.52 ¥198

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.10 ¥34.13

Cappuccino

$3.42 ¥22.92

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

$0.61 ¥4.12

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.41

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.08

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ¥15.33

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ¥12.48

$1.75 $1.75

6.29%

White Bread (500g)

$2.01 ¥13.47

$4.76 $4.76

-57.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.84

$1.77 $1.77

-42.37%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.48

$3.91 $3.91

-56.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.19 ¥115

$26.95 $26.95

-36.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.43

$6.46 $6.46

-48.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.80 ¥85.7

$17.29 $17.29

-25.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.17 ¥14.54

$3.88 $3.88

-44.07%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.67

$1.17 $1.17

48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.94 ¥12.99

$1.91 $1.91

1.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.68 ¥11.25

$6.49 $6.49

-74.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$2.78 $2.78

-72.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.22

$2.80 $2.80

-66.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.17

$4.06 $4.06

-84.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$1.96 $1.96

-70.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.83 ¥25.64

$9.85 $9.85

-61.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.94 ¥73.2

$12.03 $12.03

-9.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.60

$1.74 $1.74

-51.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.73

$1.53 $1.53

4.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$2.97 $2.97

-80.13%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.27 ¥203

$60.3 $60.3

-49.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ¥13.79

$9.83 $9.83

-79.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.13

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.80 ¥58.9

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.53

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

$19.6K ¥131.2K

$38.4K $38.4K

-48.98%

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

$18.6K ¥124.4K

$34.9K $34.9K

-46.70%

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

$57.2 ¥383

$342 $342

-83.28%

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

$8.06 ¥53.9

$75.6 $75.6

-89.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.52 ¥70.4

$96.5 $96.5

-89.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 ¥433

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.63 ¥118

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.1

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

$1,437 ¥9,620

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.1K ¥187.9K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ¥366

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.43 ¥244

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.4 ¥504

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥696

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,039 ¥6,956

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$589 ¥3,940

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,487 ¥16.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,237 ¥8,282

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.6K ¥90.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,191 ¥41.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,715 ¥11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 4, 2026

Last update for Agana Heights: October 3, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$589 47.1%

Agana Heights

–

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$237 19%

Agana Heights

–

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.7%

Agana Heights

–

Eating Out

Shanghai

$107 8.6%

Agana Heights

–

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$82 6.6%

Agana Heights

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Agana Heights

–

Getting Around

Shanghai

$37 3%

Agana Heights

–

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇬🇺 Agana Heights

🕒 Local time

17:43 5:43 PM

19:43 7:43 PM

2 h ahead of Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

3,940

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.149 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 USD = 0.892 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.149 USD). 1 EUR = 7.5 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 10, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.892 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

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Shanghai Agana Heights 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Shanghai vs Agana Heights: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Agana Heights wins on cost – living expenses run 24% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Agana Heights the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,874 in Shanghai and $1,513 in Agana Heights 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,250 per month in Shanghai versus $1,009 in Agana Heights – a 24% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Shoppers in Shanghai pay roughly 73% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

At $1,009 in Agana Heights versus $1,250 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Agana Heights but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Agana Heights 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.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Agana Heights are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Agana Heights gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.