Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Beihai Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Beihai

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Shanghai vs $721 in Beihai, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Shanghai vs $1,162 in Beihai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Shanghai vs $1,603 in Beihai, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 73% more than Beihai, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Shanghai and Beihai are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Beihai 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$3.00 ¥20.13

45.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$23.63 ¥159

26.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.66 ¥31.30

8.80%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.85 ¥19.15

18.60%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.55 ¥3.68

7.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.33 ¥2.18

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.93 ¥6.21

24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.38 ¥15.94

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.76 ¥11.82

17.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.54 ¥10.36

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.96 ¥6.45

1.04%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.48 ¥9.93

13.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$14.60 ¥98.0

15.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.87 ¥25.95

-12.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.63 ¥71.3

23.71%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.70 ¥11.43

36.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.29 ¥8.66

35.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.35 ¥9.08

48.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.21 ¥8.15

44.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.68 ¥4.54

20.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.80 ¥5.35

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.56 ¥3.74

16.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.57 ¥3.79

14.04%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.44 ¥23.11

28.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$10.56 ¥70.9

5.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.92 ¥6.19

2.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.57 ¥10.51

-0.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.28 ¥1.86

107.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$18.04 ¥121

63.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.54 ¥10.35

45.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.95

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$7.43 ¥49.85

18.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.41 ¥9.49

-11.35%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$21.1K ¥141.6K

-6.73%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$15.9K ¥106.6K

14.77%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$56.2 ¥377

9.55%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$8.85 ¥59.4

-4.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$11.54 ¥77.4

-9.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$41.24 ¥277

68.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$13.83 ¥92.8

18.44%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.53 ¥37.12

59.86%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$473 ¥3,174

192.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$18.9K ¥126.6K

43.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$40.51 ¥272

27.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$30.23 ¥203

25.24%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$76.1 ¥511

-1.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$71.8 ¥482

46.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$329 ¥2,210

199.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$157 ¥1,051

265.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$665 ¥4,460

271.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$407 ¥2,734

193.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,321 ¥22.3K

311.24%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$2,217 ¥14.9K

177.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.38

-0.89%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Beihai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Shanghai versus $329 in Beihai. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shanghai versus $24.00 in Beihai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $207 – making Beihai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Beihai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai costs about 73% more than Beihai, with the gap driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,871 per month in Shanghai and $1,081 in Beihai. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 17% more in Shanghai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shanghai and $24.00 in Beihai. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beihai, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Shanghai at $1,247. In Beihai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

If budget matters most, go with Beihai. 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.