Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Akita

For one person, living costs are similar in Shanghai and in Akita: $1,256 and $1,213 a month, rent and utilities included.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
58

Cost of Living Index in Akita
Learn more

Akita Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,256

/mo nomad

Akita

🇯🇵 Japan

$1,213

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Akita

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 Akita actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,256 per month in Shanghai vs $1,213 in Akita, rent included.

Shanghai $1,256
Akita $1,213

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Shanghai vs $1,904 in Akita, rent included.

Shanghai $1,999
Akita $1,904

A family of three spends $2,743 per month in Shanghai vs $2,596 in Akita, rent included.

Shanghai $2,743
Akita $2,596

Shanghai costs about 4% more than Akita, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Shanghai and Akita are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 7% lower, Akita 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ¥29.78

$6.21 ¥981

-28.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.29 ¥203

$31.98 ¥5,052

-5.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.01

$4.90 ¥775

3.88%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥22.96

$3.54 ¥559

-3.11%

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

$0.62 ¥4.15

$0.99 ¥156

-37.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.81 ¥128

-51.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.25

$1.93 ¥306

-36.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.81

$3.12 ¥493

-29.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$1.52 ¥240

21.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.02

$1.59 ¥252

22.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.67

$4.11 ¥650

-75.67%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.43

$2.04 ¥323

-16.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 ¥117

$10.19 ¥1,610

71.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥21.66

$6.52 ¥1,031

-50.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 ¥86.8

$16.23 ¥2,565

-19.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥14.98

$3.63 ¥573

-38.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ¥11.25

$2.25 ¥355

-25.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ¥13.03

$2.83 ¥448

-31.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.60

$4.20 ¥663

-58.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.10

$2.43 ¥384

-68.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.15

$2.48 ¥392

-62.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.41

$1.29 ¥204

-48.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.00

$0.81 ¥127

-25.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 ¥24.65

$4.01 ¥634

-7.98%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 ¥73.0

$6.58 ¥1,039

65.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.85

$1.88 ¥296

-53.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.87

$2.07 ¥327

-21.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.13

$1.51 ¥239

-58.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.38 ¥203

$54.0 ¥8,525

-43.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ¥13.79

$3.19 ¥503

-35.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 ¥3.08

$2.79 ¥440

-83.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 ¥59.1

$18.55 ¥2,931

-52.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.86

$1.31 ¥207

1.53%

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

$19.3K ¥128.7K

$21.7K ¥3.4M

-11.21%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$15.2K ¥2.4M

20.38%

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

$57.1 ¥382

$135 ¥21.3K

-57.57%

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

$8.07 ¥53.9

$24.50 ¥3,871

-67.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.70 ¥71.5

$31.46 ¥4,971

-65.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 ¥432

$52.7 ¥8,332

22.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ¥60.5

$11.84 ¥1,870

-23.56%

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

$1,441 ¥9,638

$507 ¥80.1K

184.40%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥188.4K

$12.7K ¥2.0M

122.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ¥358

$41.47 ¥6,552

29.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.05 ¥248

$46.21 ¥7,301

-19.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥515

$84.7 ¥13.4K

-9.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥694

$88.0 ¥13.9K

18.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ¥6,841

$526 ¥83.1K

94.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥3,971

$336 ¥53.1K

76.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 ¥17.1K

$1,089 ¥172.1K

135.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 ¥8,107

$723 ¥114.1K

67.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K ¥90.4K

$4,173 ¥659.3K

224.10%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 ¥41.8K

$1,782 ¥281.5K

250.63%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,699 ¥11.4K

$1,613 ¥254.9K

5.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

2.21

52.04%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 18, 2026

Last update for Akita: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$594 47.3%

Akita

$336 27.7% 43.4% $258

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$238 18.9%

Akita

$285 23.5% 20.1% $48

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.7%

Akita

$117 9.7% 4.1% $5

Eating Out

Shanghai

$107 8.5%

Akita

$130 10.7% 21.7% $23

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$83 6.6%

Akita

$76 6.3% 7.6% $6.3

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6%

Akita

$191 15.7% 151% $115

Getting Around

Shanghai

$37 3%

Akita

$77 6.4% 107% $40

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,023 in Shanghai versus $526 in Akita. 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 5% 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 $30.00 in Shanghai versus $32.00 in Akita. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $285 – making Shanghai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇯🇵 Akita

🕒 Local time

21:20 9:20 PM

22:20 10:20 PM

1 h ahead of Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

307,672

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Japanese Yen JPY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD

1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

JPY, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Japanese Yen exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 158 JPY (1,000 JPY = 6.33 USD). 1 EUR = 178 JPY (1,000 JPY = 5.63 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Shanghai Akita 1,930 km ≈ 3 h nonstop flight

From you

Shanghai
Akita

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 Akita: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai costs about 4% more than Akita, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,884 per month in Shanghai and $1,819 in Akita. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 78% less in Akita. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,441 per month in Shanghai and $507 in Akita. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Akita, where all-in costs run around $1,213, than in Shanghai at $1,256. In Akita it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Akita – 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 Akita. 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.