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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $901 in Baku.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,440 in Baku.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,979 in Baku.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 34% more expensive than Baku, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Baku 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$8.84 ₼15.03

-44.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$34.60 ₼58.8

4.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$7.73 ₼13.13

-27.68%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.66 ₼6.22

-3.01%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.79 ₼1.34

-27.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.44 ₼0.75

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$1.79 ₼3.04

-20.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.90 ₼4.93

-1.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.37 ₼2.33

57.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$0.47 ₼0.80

278.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$2.37 ₼4.03

-53.59%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.36 ₼2.30

24.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$5.24 ₼8.90

191.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$4.86 ₼8.26

-35.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$10.39 ₼17.65

3.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.30 ₼2.20

73.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.82 ₼3.09

-8.24%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.46 ₼2.48

23.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.81 ₼3.08

-15.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.78 ₼1.32

3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.48 ₼0.82

131.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.39 ₼0.67

74.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.65 ₼1.11

-13.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.46 ₼5.87

-17.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$8.99 ₼15.27

29.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.34 ₼2.29

-41.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$2.82 ₼4.79

-41.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.30 ₼0.51

43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$17.96 ₼30.53

91.59%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$2.10 ₼3.57

5.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.61 ₼1.04

-37.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$3.62 ₼6.15

131.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$0.75 ₼1.28

52.00%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$20.6K ₼35.0K

-5.22%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$21.8K ₼37.0K

-16.73%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$60.6 ₼103

-12.83%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$11.97 ₼20.34

-28.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$15.13 ₼25.72

-8.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$42.50 ₼72.2

10.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$21.86 ₼37.15

-9.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$5.83 ₼9.91

45.11%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$246 ₼418

429.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$6,448 ₼11.0K

389.61%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$58.8 ₼99.9

1.36%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$54.4 ₼92.4

-29.92%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$122 ₼207

-35.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$99.0 ₼168

0.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$469 ₼797

98.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$268 ₼455

112.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$946 ₼1,609

163.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$456 ₼775

161.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$2,302 ₼3,913

507.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,255 ₼2,133

436.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$563 ₼957

199.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

8.87

-59.64%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Baku: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $469 in Baku. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 200% 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 $35.00 in Baku for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $180 per month, with Baku 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 Baku: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Baku differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $901 including rent). Baku is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 200% 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 $469 in Baku. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $246 in Baku. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $901 in Baku versus $1,209 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 34% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.