Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bacau Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bacau

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,192 per month in Shanghai vs $905 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Shanghai vs $1,462 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,724 per month in Shanghai vs $2,019 in Bacau, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 32% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Bacau 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.97

$11.74 RON 53.8

-59.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$45.80 RON 210

-21.57%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.81

$8.16 RON 37.40

-29.66%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.80

$2.30 RON 10.55

53.04%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$2.20 RON 10.11

-74.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$1.86 RON 8.51

-82.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.20

$2.32 RON 10.64

-41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$3.54 RON 16.26

-19.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.20

$1.34 RON 6.16

56.72%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$0.84 RON 3.86

114.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.13

$1.71 RON 7.86

-38.60%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.35

$3.67 RON 16.82

-54.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$8.33 RON 38.22

89.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$6.22 RON 28.51

-49.04%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.6

$9.10 RON 41.74

21.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.08

$1.26 RON 5.80

88.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.47

$1.62 RON 7.43

4.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$1.73 RON 7.94

2.89%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.83

$1.83 RON 8.38

-20.77%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.93 RON 4.27

-10.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$0.83 RON 3.83

36.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.57

$0.71 RON 3.24

-4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.74 RON 3.38

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$5.85 RON 26.84

-51.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.5

$6.58 RON 30.16

78.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.28

$0.87 RON 3.98

-10.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.64

$1.34 RON 6.14

17.16%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.63 RON 2.89

-34.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$32.12 RON 147

9.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$0.62 RON 2.85

264.52%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.64 RON 2.95

-42.19%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.4

$7.44 RON 34.12

9.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$1.60 RON 7.34

-28.13%

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

$19.3K ¥130.5K

$28.3K RON 129.6K

-31.78%

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

$17.7K ¥120.0K

$26.7K RON 122.3K

-33.52%

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

$53.0 ¥359

$116 RON 532

-54.27%

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

$8.77 ¥59.4

$8.53 RON 39.13

2.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.3

$5.26 RON 24.14

161.98%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$24.94 RON 114

82.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$23.39 RON 107

-14.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.2

$6.81 RON 31.22

21.88%

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

$1,264 ¥8,555

$654 RON 3,001

93.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.3K

$5,516 RON 25.3K

474.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$90.4 RON 415

-36.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥257

$35.38 RON 162

7.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥521

$63.7 RON 292

20.97%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥655

$99.0 RON 454

-2.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,466

$325 RON 1,492

193.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,755

$183 RON 839

203.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$501 RON 2,299

398.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,166

$366 RON 1,677

229.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.7K

$1,828 RON 8,382

682.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,217 RON 5,581

444.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$1,022 RON 4,687

66.52%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

6.5

-44.92%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Bacau: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $955 in Shanghai versus $325 in Bacau. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 67% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai versus $46.00 in Bacau. Groceries tell a different story – $228 in Shanghai vs $195 in Bacau – so Bacau wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Bacau: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 32%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,788 per month in Shanghai and $1,357 in Bacau. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Bacau, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai and $46.00 in Bacau. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,192 in Shanghai and $905 in Bacau. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Bacau, where all-in costs run around $905, than in Shanghai at $1,192. In Bacau it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Bacau – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Bacau. 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.