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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $658 in Ankang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,041 in Ankang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $1,424 in Ankang, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 84% more than Ankang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Ankang are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Ankang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$2.84 ¥19.22

72.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$18.21 ¥123

99.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$5.52 ¥37.41

1.27%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$2.24 ¥15.18

58.48%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.42 ¥2.87

35.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.28 ¥1.91

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$1.08 ¥7.30

32.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$1.72 ¥11.65

65.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.55 ¥10.48

39.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.57 ¥10.64

13.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.85 ¥5.76

29.41%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.61 ¥10.90

4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$7.13 ¥48.31

114.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$2.06 ¥13.94

51.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$8.85 ¥59.9

21.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.58 ¥10.73

43.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.14 ¥7.70

46.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.33 ¥9.01

35.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$0.76 ¥5.16

101.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.70 ¥4.75

15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.60 ¥4.06

85.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.54 ¥3.68

25.93%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.56 ¥3.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$2.78 ¥18.80

2.16%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$7.59 ¥51.4

52.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.77 ¥5.19

2.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.70 ¥11.54

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.29 ¥1.97

48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.74 ¥113

105.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.40 ¥9.46

57.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.36 ¥2.41

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$4.13 ¥28.00

102.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.19 ¥8.06

-4.20%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$20.9K ¥141.6K

-6.55%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$16.5K ¥111.6K

10.16%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$46.38 ¥314

13.86%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$3.10 ¥20.98

175.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$12.11 ¥82.0

14.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$41.20 ¥279

14.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$14.10 ¥95.5

40.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$4.95 ¥33.51

70.91%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$340 ¥2,306

282.59%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$17.9K ¥121.0K

76.77%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$54.6 ¥370

9.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$36.64 ¥248

3.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$69.1 ¥468

14.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$71.6 ¥485

38.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$279 ¥1,887

234.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$190 ¥1,286

200.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$594 ¥4,022

319.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$356 ¥2,410

235.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$3,246 ¥22.0K

330.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,757 ¥11.9K

282.95%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.32

-17.13%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Ankang: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $279 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $18.00 in Ankang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $158 – 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 84%, 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 $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $988 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 106% less in Ankang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,303 per month in Shanghai and $340 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 $658, than in Shanghai at $1,209. 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.