Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bardwell Park, NSW

For one person, living is cheaper in Shanghai: $1,244 a month against $2,471 in Bardwell Park, NSW, rent and utilities included – about $14,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
121

Cost of Living Index in Bardwell Park, NSW
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Bardwell Park, NSW Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Bardwell Park, NSW

🇦🇺 Australia

$2,471

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Bardwell Park, NSW

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shanghai and in Bardwell Park, NSW actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Shanghai versus $2,471 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Shanghai $1,244
Bardwell Park, NSW $2,471

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $3,596 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Shanghai $1,999
Bardwell Park, NSW $3,596

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Shanghai versus $4,721 in Bardwell Park, NSW.

Shanghai $2,755
Bardwell Park, NSW $4,721

Living in Shanghai costs roughly 50% less than in Bardwell Park, NSW, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shanghai is 8% below, Bardwell Park, NSW is 83% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.47

$17.68 A$25.44

-74.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$84.1 A$121

-64.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.13

$10.61 A$15.26

-50.52%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.94

$3.91 A$5.62

-16.11%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$2.81 A$4.04

-79.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$2.29 A$3.29

-84.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$7.81 A$11.24

-84.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.18

$7.67 A$11.04

-70.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.30

$1.53 A$2.20

20.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.08

$2.61 A$3.75

-24.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$2.30 A$3.31

-55.22%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.16

$4.71 A$6.77

-64.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$9.18 A$13.22

84.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.33

$9.44 A$13.58

-66.21%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.3

$14.88 A$21.41

-13.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$3.79 A$5.46

-40.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.13

$3.03 A$4.36

-45.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$3.19 A$4.59

-36.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.08

$4.68 A$6.73

-64.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$2.80 A$4.03

-72.50%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$2.41 A$3.46

-61.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$2.33 A$3.36

-72.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$1.45 A$2.09

-58.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.44

$42.52 A$61.2

-91.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.7

$13.77 A$19.81

-21.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.51

$4.77 A$6.86

-82.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$5.36 A$7.72

-69.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$2.95 A$4.25

-79.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

$74.0 A$106

-60.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.11

$3.41 A$4.91

-38.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$1.56 A$2.24

-72.44%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$39.32 A$56.6

-76.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.89

$1.36 A$1.96

-2.21%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$26.5K A$38.1K

-28.22%

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

$18.7K ¥125.1K

$29.3K A$42.1K

-36.09%

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

$57.8 ¥387

$203 A$292

-71.53%

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

$8.09 ¥54.1

$27.81 A$40.01

-70.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥70.0

$55.4 A$79.7

-81.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$55.0 A$79.2

19.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$17.78 A$25.59

0.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.9

$14.71 A$21.17

-39.16%

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

$1,414 ¥9,451

$2,135 A$3,073

-33.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.2K

$20.0K A$28.8K

39.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥361

$78.4 A$113

-31.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$54.3 A$78.2

-31.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$107 A$154

-30.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥706

$122 A$176

-13.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,056

$1,360 A$1,956

-22.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,910

$1,182 A$1,701

-50.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$2,184 A$3,143

13.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,240

$1,823 A$2,623

-32.40%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.1K

$5,907 A$8,500

135.79%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.8K

$4,952 A$7,127

26.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

$5,558 A$7,997

-69.21%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

5.84

-42.47%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Bardwell Park, NSW: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Bardwell Park, NSW

$1.2K 47.8% 102% $597

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Bardwell Park, NSW

$364 14.7% 55.1% $129

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Bardwell Park, NSW

$163 6.6% 33.6% $41

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Bardwell Park, NSW

$295 11.9% 178% $189

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Bardwell Park, NSW

$84 3.4% 1% $0.8

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Bardwell Park, NSW

$286 11.6% 275% $210

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Bardwell Park, NSW

$97 3.9% 169% $61

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Shanghai and $1,360 in Bardwell Park, NSW. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Bardwell Park, NSW pays 225% 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 $84.0 in Bardwell Park, NSW for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $364 per month, with Shanghai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇦🇺 Bardwell Park, NSW

🕒 Local time

02:29 2:29 AM

05:29 5:29 AM

3 h ahead of Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

2,209

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Australian Dollar AUD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 AUD = 0.695 USD

1 AUD = 0.618 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

AUD, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Australian Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1.44 AUD (1 AUD = 0.695 USD). 1 EUR = 1.62 AUD (1 AUD = 0.618 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Shanghai Bardwell Park, NSW 7,880 km ≈ 10 h nonstop flight

From you

Shanghai
Bardwell Park, NSW

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Bardwell Park, NSW: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai wins on cost – living expenses run 99% lower than in Bardwell Park, NSW. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shanghai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 225% lower in Bardwell Park, NSW. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Shanghai versus $1,360 in Bardwell Park, NSW. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 55% higher in Bardwell Park, NSW. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Shanghai – a meal for two runs $30.00 versus $84.0 in Bardwell Park, NSW. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,244 in Shanghai versus $2,471 in Bardwell Park, NSW, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shanghai but tight or insufficient in Bardwell Park, NSW. The gap between the two cities makes Shanghai 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 Bardwell Park, NSW 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 Shanghai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 99% less than in Bardwell Park, NSW. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.