Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Anshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Anshan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $545 in Anshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $879 in Anshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,212 in Anshan.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 119% more expensive than in Anshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Anshan 59% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$3.53 ¥23.88

33.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$17.35 ¥117

107.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$4.11 ¥27.75

39.66%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$2.91 ¥19.65

20.96%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.30 ¥2.00

90.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.22 ¥1.49

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.73 ¥4.94

86.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$1.50 ¥10.11

89.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.59 ¥10.77

32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.17 ¥7.88

53.85%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.34 ¥2.29

208.82%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.94 ¥13.13

-13.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$8.29 ¥56.0

90.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$1.64 ¥11.11

93.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$8.43 ¥56.9

30.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.00 ¥6.74

138.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.10 ¥7.40

53.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.08 ¥7.31

64.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$0.70 ¥4.76

107.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.27 ¥1.80

207.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.77 ¥5.18

46.75%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.60 ¥4.04

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.44 ¥2.94

36.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.40 ¥22.95

-17.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$7.45 ¥50.3

57.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.73 ¥4.94

6.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.41 ¥9.54

11.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.80

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$16.88 ¥114

107.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$0.99 ¥6.72

128.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.33 ¥2.20

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$4.09 ¥27.67

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.03 ¥6.94

11.65%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$18.2K ¥123.0K

5.92%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$13.8K ¥93.6K

27.98%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$27.80 ¥188

90.72%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$7.02 ¥47.44

24.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.55 ¥78.1

19.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$28.07 ¥190

61.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$14.08 ¥95.2

42.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$5.45 ¥36.86

52.29%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$208 ¥1,405

507.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$9,652 ¥65.2K

228.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$35.38 ¥239

63.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$34.68 ¥234

9.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$82.5 ¥558

-6.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$68.9 ¥466

40.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$141 ¥955

575.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$113 ¥760

393.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$279 ¥1,884

795.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$208 ¥1,403

481.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$3,025 ¥20.4K

372.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,860 ¥12.6K

256.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$918 ¥6,205

85.33%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

79.00%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Anshan: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $141 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 85% 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: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $17.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $146 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

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 & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 119% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 85% 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $141 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 $17.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Shanghai versus $545 in Anshan – a 119% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $545 in Anshan versus $1,192 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 119% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.