Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Aydin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Aydin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $870 in Aydin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,534 in Aydin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $2,197 in Aydin.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 39% more expensive than Aydin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Aydin 35% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$5.21 ₺240

-5.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$21.27 ₺977

70.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$8.76 ₺402

-36.19%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$3.34 ₺153

6.29%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$1.26 ₺57.9

-54.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.56 ₺25.72

-35.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$3.45 ₺158

-58.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$4.59 ₺211

-37.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$0.95 ₺43.50

127.37%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$0.70 ₺32.38

154.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$2.20 ₺101

-50.00%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$1.77 ₺81.3

-4.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$9.54 ₺438

60.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$5.50 ₺253

-43.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$20.89 ₺960

-48.49%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.24 ₺57.2

82.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.89 ₺86.9

-11.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$0.93 ₺42.80

93.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.05 ₺48.05

45.71%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.72 ₺33.02

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.56 ₺25.76

98.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.69 ₺31.67

-1.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.33 ₺15.36

69.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$2.14 ₺98.3

32.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$9.71 ₺446

19.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.81 ₺83.3

-56.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$2.66 ₺122

-38.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$1.47 ₺67.8

-70.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$53.5 ₺2,457

-35.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$0.91 ₺41.82

142.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.65 ₺30.00

-41.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$12.84 ₺590

-34.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.23 ₺56.3

-7.32%

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$46.6K ₺2.1M

-58.09%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$41.2K ₺1.9M

-55.92%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$47.53 ₺2,184

11.11%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$5.67 ₺260

50.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$12.88 ₺592

7.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$45.05 ₺2,070

4.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$25.78 ₺1,184

-23.16%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$4.41 ₺203

91.84%

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$209 ₺9,625

521.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$7,632 ₺350.7K

313.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$37.40 ₺1,718

59.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$53.1 ₺2,440

-28.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$64.1 ₺2,945

22.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$43.90 ₺2,017

126.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$288 ₺13.2K

223.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$249 ₺11.4K

128.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$757 ₺34.8K

228.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$776 ₺35.6K

53.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,143 ₺52.5K

47.79%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

49.33

-92.74%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Aydin: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $288 in Aydin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 48% 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 $21.00 in Aydin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $222 per month, with Aydin 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 Aydin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Aydin differ by about 39% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $870 including rent). Aydin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 48% more on average, 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $288 in Aydin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Aydin – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $870 in Aydin – a 39% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $870 in Aydin versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Aydin but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Aydin 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.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Aydin are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Aydin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 39% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.