Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Ankang

For one person, living is cheaper in Ankang: $725 a month against $1,244 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $6,200 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Ankang
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Ankang Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Ankang

🇨🇳 China

$725

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Ankang

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

A single person spends $1,244 per month in Shanghai vs $725 in Ankang, rent included.

Shanghai $1,244
Ankang $725

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Shanghai vs $1,132 in Ankang, rent included.

Shanghai $1,999
Ankang $1,132

A family of three spends $2,755 per month in Shanghai vs $1,540 in Ankang, rent included.

Shanghai $2,755
Ankang $1,540

Shanghai costs about 71% more than Ankang, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both Shanghai and Ankang are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 8% lower, Ankang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.47

$1.47 ¥9.81

210.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$14.99 ¥100

101.53%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.13

$2.91 ¥19.46

80.41%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.94

$2.15 ¥14.39

52.56%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.43 ¥2.90

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.27 ¥1.79

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$1.50 ¥10.03

-18.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.18

$1.48 ¥9.86

53.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.30

$1.47 ¥9.85

25.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.08

$1.70 ¥11.37

15.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$0.90 ¥5.99

14.44%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.16

$1.49 ¥9.98

12.08%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$11.41 ¥76.3

48.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.33

$4.12 ¥27.53

-22.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.3

$10.36 ¥69.2

24.52%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$1.70 ¥11.34

31.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.13

$1.15 ¥7.67

44.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$1.24 ¥8.32

62.90%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.08

$1.26 ¥8.44

31.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$0.68 ¥4.52

13.24%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.69 ¥4.61

34.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.58 ¥3.85

8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$0.55 ¥3.68

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.44

$3.31 ¥22.15

14.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.7

$9.89 ¥66.1

9.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.51

$0.78 ¥5.19

5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.68 ¥11.22

-4.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$0.32 ¥2.12

90.62%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

$17.21 ¥115

70.83%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.11

$1.25 ¥8.35

68.80%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$0.29 ¥1.93

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$4.36 ¥29.16

107.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.89

$1.36 ¥9.08

-2.21%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.3K ¥129.3K

-1.66%

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

$18.7K ¥125.1K

$17.5K ¥117.0K

6.91%

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

$57.8 ¥387

$89.3 ¥597

-35.29%

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

$8.09 ¥54.1

$3.26 ¥21.79

148.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥70.0

$10.61 ¥70.9

-1.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$44.85 ¥300

46.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$13.11 ¥87.7

35.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.9

$5.68 ¥37.99

57.57%

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

$1,414 ¥9,451

$679 ¥4,540

108.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.2K

$17.2K ¥115.2K

61.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥361

$39.44 ¥264

36.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$37.19 ¥249

-0.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$74.4 ¥498

-0.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥706

$92.4 ¥618

14.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,056

$299 ¥2,002

252.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,910

$182 ¥1,220

220.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$616 ¥4,117

303.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,240

$386 ¥2,582

219.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.1K

$3,279 ¥21.9K

324.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.8K

$2,225 ¥14.9K

181.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.35

0.30%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ankang: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Ankang

$182 25.2% 68.8% $402

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Ankang

$193 26.6% 17.7% $42

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Ankang

$110 15.1% 10.1% $12

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Ankang

$60 8.2% 43.8% $46

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Ankang

$56 7.8% 32.8% $27

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Ankang

$103 14.2% 35.1% $27

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Ankang

$21 2.9% 41.4% $15

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Shanghai versus $299 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: $235 vs $193 – making Ankang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇨🇳 Ankang

🕒 Local time

13:27 1:27 PM

Same time as Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

894,853

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Shanghai Ankang 1,190 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

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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 71%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in eating out.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,865 per month in Shanghai and $1,088 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 71% less in Ankang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,414 per month in Shanghai and $679 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 $725, than in Shanghai at $1,244. 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.