Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Ankang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Ankang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Shanghai vs $674 in Ankang, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Shanghai vs $1,063 in Ankang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Shanghai vs $1,451 in Ankang, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 85% more than Ankang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Ankang are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Ankang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$1.48 ¥9.91

194.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$15.14 ¥102

97.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$2.93 ¥19.68

73.04%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.13 ¥14.31

58.69%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.44 ¥2.95

34.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.27 ¥1.80

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$1.53 ¥10.26

-24.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$1.53 ¥10.28

55.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.42 ¥9.51

45.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.71 ¥11.48

15.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.89 ¥5.95

8.99%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.46 ¥9.76

15.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$11.43 ¥76.7

47.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.57 ¥23.96

-5.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.58 ¥71.0

24.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.67 ¥11.21

38.92%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.12 ¥7.49

56.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.24 ¥8.32

61.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.26 ¥8.42

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.63 ¥4.23

30.16%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.75 ¥5.05

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.54 ¥3.64

20.37%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.58 ¥3.92

12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.40 ¥22.82

29.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$8.56 ¥57.5

30.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.79 ¥5.33

18.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.66 ¥11.13

-6.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.32 ¥2.16

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$15.56 ¥104

89.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.22 ¥8.22

83.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.31 ¥2.10

38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$4.35 ¥29.21

101.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.28 ¥8.60

-2.34%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.3K ¥129.4K

2.03%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$17.4K ¥117.1K

4.50%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$61.5 ¥413

0.20%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$3.30 ¥22.14

156.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$10.54 ¥70.8

-1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$38.37 ¥257

81.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$17.02 ¥114

-3.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.35 ¥35.92

65.23%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$691 ¥4,638

100.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$17.7K ¥118.9K

52.29%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$38.25 ¥257

35.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$37.15 ¥249

1.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$75.7 ¥508

-0.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$85.2 ¥572

23.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$304 ¥2,038

224.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$205 ¥1,373

179.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$549 ¥3,684

349.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$356 ¥2,386

236.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,426 ¥23.0K

298.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,757 ¥11.8K

249.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Ankang: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Shanghai versus $304 in Ankang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shanghai versus $15.00 in Ankang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $188 – making Ankang 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

Shanghai vs Ankang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 85%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,871 per month in Shanghai and $1,012 in Ankang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 89% less in Ankang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,383 per month in Shanghai and $691 in Ankang. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Ankang, where all-in costs run around $674, than in Shanghai at $1,247. In Ankang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Ankang. 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.