Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Baku Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Baku

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $1,020 in Baku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,600 in Baku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $2,181 in Baku.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 22% more expensive than in Baku, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Baku 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$9.03 ₼15.35

-51.72%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$41.88 ₼71.2

-28.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$7.63 ₼12.97

-33.55%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$3.50 ₼5.95

-3.43%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$1.09 ₼1.85

-45.87%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.60 ₼1.03

-40.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$1.78 ₼3.03

-34.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.58 ₼4.39

-7.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.58 ₼2.68

31.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$0.50 ₼0.84

294.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$2.63 ₼4.46

-63.12%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$2.01 ₼3.41

-16.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$4.95 ₼8.41

241.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$5.10 ₼8.67

-33.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$11.90 ₼20.23

10.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.40 ₼2.38

65.71%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.83 ₼3.12

-4.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.55 ₼2.63

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.74 ₼2.95

0.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.79 ₼1.34

3.80%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.62 ₼1.05

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.79 ₼1.34

-17.72%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.79 ₼1.35

-17.72%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.14 ₼5.34

40.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$8.92 ₼15.15

25.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$1.56 ₼2.65

-39.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$2.96 ₼5.03

-47.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.36 ₼0.62

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$20.95 ₼35.60

40.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$2.08 ₼3.54

7.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.57 ₼0.98

-24.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$3.59 ₼6.10

144.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$0.65 ₼1.11

92.31%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$23.4K ₼39.7K

-15.76%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$21.1K ₼35.8K

-13.46%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$70.6 ₼120

-12.72%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$11.15 ₼18.95

-24.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$15.12 ₼25.70

-31.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$47.70 ₼81.1

46.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$16.83 ₼28.60

-2.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.97 ₼10.14

48.07%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$333 ₼566

314.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$6,682 ₼11.4K

303.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$69.3 ₼118

-25.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$55.6 ₼94.5

-31.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$131 ₼222

-42.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$116 ₼197

-9.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$539 ₼916

82.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$325 ₼552

75.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$1,046 ₼1,777

136.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$531 ₼903

125.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,256 ₼3,834

505.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,310 ₼2,227

369.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$541 ₼919

220.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

9.08

-63.11%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Baku: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $539 in Baku. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 221% 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 $42.00 in Baku. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $196, with Baku cheaper for home cooking.

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 Baku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Baku differ by about 22% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $1,020 including rent). Baku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 221% 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $539 in Baku. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $333 in Baku. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,020 in Baku versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Baku but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Baku 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 Baku 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 Baku gentler on the wallet – expenses run 22% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.