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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $912 in Bacau, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,474 in Bacau, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $2,037 in Bacau, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 33% more than Bacau, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Bacau are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Bacau 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$11.60 RON 52.5

-57.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$45.83 RON 207

-20.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$8.27 RON 37.38

-32.41%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$2.32 RON 10.47

53.02%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$2.18 RON 9.85

-73.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$1.83 RON 8.28

-80.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$2.26 RON 10.24

-36.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$3.64 RON 16.45

-21.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$1.37 RON 6.20

57.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$0.89 RON 4.03

100.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.72 RON 7.75

-36.05%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$3.79 RON 17.12

-55.41%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$8.37 RON 37.84

82.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$6.14 RON 27.73

-49.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$9.44 RON 42.69

13.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.25 RON 5.66

80.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.57 RON 7.10

6.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$1.74 RON 7.85

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.93 RON 8.70

-20.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.90 RON 4.09

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.84 RON 3.81

32.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.67 RON 3.03

1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.79 RON 3.55

-29.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$5.69 RON 25.71

-50.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$6.72 RON 30.37

72.62%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.88 RON 3.97

-10.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.34 RON 6.07

22.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.63 RON 2.85

-31.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$31.81 RON 144

8.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$0.61 RON 2.77

262.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.60 RON 2.71

-36.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$7.71 RON 34.85

8.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.58 RON 7.14

-27.85%

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$28.1K RON 127.1K

-30.50%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$26.8K RON 121.0K

-32.20%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$114 RON 516

-53.70%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$8.19 RON 37.03

4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$5.23 RON 23.62

164.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$25.17 RON 114

86.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$23.37 RON 106

-15.23%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$6.77 RON 30.61

24.96%

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$654 RON 2,958

99.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$5,513 RON 24.9K

472.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$90.4 RON 409

-34.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$35.64 RON 161

6.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$62.4 RON 282

26.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$98.2 RON 444

1.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$321 RON 1,449

190.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$187 RON 844

205.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$507 RON 2,290

391.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$368 RON 1,662

224.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$1,893 RON 8,559

638.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,242 RON 5,612

442.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,020 RON 4,609

65.63%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Bacau: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $321 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 66% 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 – $225 in Shanghai vs $198 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 33%, 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 $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $1,368 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 $1,209 in Shanghai and $912 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 $912, than in Shanghai at $1,209. 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.