Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Anshan

For one person, living is cheaper in Anshan: $626 a month against $1,256 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $7,600 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
30

Cost of Living Index in Anshan
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Anshan Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,256

/mo nomad

Anshan

🇨🇳 China

$626

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Anshan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Shanghai versus $626 in Anshan.

Shanghai $1,256
Anshan $626

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $1,011 in Anshan.

Shanghai $1,999
Anshan $1,011

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Shanghai versus $1,396 in Anshan.

Shanghai $2,743
Anshan $1,396

Living in Shanghai is roughly 101% more expensive than in Anshan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 7% lower, Anshan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ¥29.78

$2.94 ¥19.67

51.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.29 ¥203

$18.46 ¥123

64.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.01

$4.59 ¥30.70

10.89%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥22.96

$2.49 ¥16.65

37.75%

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

$0.62 ¥4.15

$0.36 ¥2.38

72.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.21 ¥1.40

85.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.25

$0.73 ¥4.89

68.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.81

$1.61 ¥10.79

37.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$1.77 ¥11.80

4.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.02

$1.26 ¥8.42

54.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.67

$0.39 ¥2.59

156.41%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.43

$1.06 ¥7.07

61.32%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 ¥117

$9.06 ¥60.6

92.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥21.66

$1.83 ¥12.24

77.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 ¥86.8

$8.93 ¥59.7

45.46%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥14.98

$1.02 ¥6.83

119.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.17 ¥7.80

43.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ¥13.03

$1.17 ¥7.83

66.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.60

$1.19 ¥7.95

45.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.10

$0.31 ¥2.08

145.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.15

$0.92 ¥6.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.41

$0.29 ¥1.93

127.59%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.00

$0.44 ¥2.92

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 ¥24.65

$3.78 ¥25.28

-2.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 ¥73.0

$7.39 ¥49.42

47.77%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.85

$0.72 ¥4.79

20.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.87

$1.09 ¥7.29

49.54%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.13

$0.29 ¥1.92

113.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.38 ¥203

$18.04 ¥121

68.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ¥13.79

$1.03 ¥6.90

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 ¥3.08

$0.14 ¥0.90

228.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 ¥59.1

$2.93 ¥19.59

201.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.86

$1.05 ¥7.05

26.67%

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

$19.3K ¥128.7K

$19.5K ¥130.4K

-1.25%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$15.1K ¥101.2K

20.53%

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

$57.1 ¥382

$29.47 ¥197

93.79%

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

$8.07 ¥53.9

$7.37 ¥49.28

9.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.70 ¥71.5

$14.66 ¥98.0

-27.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 ¥432

$41.48 ¥277

55.79%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$14.78 ¥98.9

16.98%

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ¥60.5

$5.93 ¥39.63

52.61%

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

$1,441 ¥9,638

$226 ¥1,514

536.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥188.4K

$21.4K ¥143.1K

31.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ¥358

$36.77 ¥246

45.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.05 ¥248

$32.89 ¥220

12.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥515

$60.6 ¥405

26.95%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥694

$69.9 ¥468

48.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ¥6,841

$295 ¥1,971

247.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥3,971

$182 ¥1,217

226.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 ¥17.1K

$629 ¥4,209

307.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 ¥8,107

$377 ¥2,518

222.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K ¥90.4K

$3,509 ¥23.5K

285.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 ¥41.8K

$1,923 ¥12.9K

224.84%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,699 ¥11.4K

$926 ¥6,194

83.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

68.00%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 18, 2026

Last update for Anshan: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$594 47.3%

Anshan

$182 29.1% 69.4% $412

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$238 18.9%

Anshan

$152 24.2% 36.2% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.7%

Anshan

$90 14.4% 26.2% $32

Eating Out

Shanghai

$107 8.5%

Anshan

$76 12.2% 28.5% $30

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$83 6.6%

Anshan

$53 8.5% 35.5% $29

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6%

Anshan

$52 8.2% 32.1% $24

Getting Around

Shanghai

$37 3%

Anshan

$21 3.3% 43.9% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,023 in Shanghai and $295 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 83% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $18.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $152 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇨🇳 Anshan

🕒 Local time

20:30 8:30 PM

Same time as Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

1,543,696

💱 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 Anshan 1,110 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

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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 Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 101% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 83% higher in Shanghai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,023 in Shanghai versus $295 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $30.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Shanghai versus $626 in Anshan – a 101% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Anshan versus $1,256 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan 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.

Expats usually find Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 101% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.