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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $704 in Beihai, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,138 in Beihai, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $1,573 in Beihai, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 72% more than Beihai, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Beihai are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Beihai 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.17

$2.82 ¥19.05

73.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$21.25 ¥144

70.82%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.83

$4.78 ¥32.32

16.95%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.03

$2.92 ¥19.78

21.58%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.46 ¥3.11

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.81

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$0.87 ¥5.87

64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.25

$2.12 ¥14.34

34.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.60

$1.78 ¥12.02

21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.61 ¥10.90

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.90 ¥6.06

22.22%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.44

$1.57 ¥10.61

7.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$12.81 ¥86.6

19.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.12

$3.20 ¥21.67

-2.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.8

$10.36 ¥70.1

3.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.29

$1.77 ¥11.99

27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.25 ¥8.47

33.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.36 ¥9.23

32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.08 ¥7.32

41.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.67 ¥4.50

20.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.97 ¥6.53

14.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.60 ¥4.03

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.55 ¥3.69

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.19

$3.15 ¥21.31

-9.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$11.43 ¥77.3

1.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.79 ¥5.33

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.60 ¥10.81

2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.81

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.93 ¥115

103.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.92

$1.36 ¥9.20

62.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.35 ¥2.38

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.86 ¥46.43

22.16%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.13 ¥7.67

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥132.2K

$19.2K ¥129.7K

1.92%

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

$18.1K ¥122.8K

$16.7K ¥113.1K

8.59%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$46.09 ¥312

14.58%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$9.87 ¥66.7

-13.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$11.52 ¥78.0

20.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$41.94 ¥284

12.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.82 ¥93.5

43.34%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$6.41 ¥43.37

31.98%

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

$1,303 ¥8,813

$340 ¥2,297

283.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.6K

$17.2K ¥116.5K

83.27%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$42.73 ¥289

39.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$30.04 ¥203

26.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$71.9 ¥487

9.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$74.4 ¥503

33.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,309

$275 ¥1,863

238.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,856

$186 ¥1,259

206.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$593 ¥4,011

319.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,066

$357 ¥2,417

233.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$3,044 ¥20.6K

359.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,709 ¥11.6K

293.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.87

-7.49%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Beihai: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $275 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $21.00 in Beihai. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $199 – 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 72% more than Beihai, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $1,055 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 13% 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 $36.00 in Shanghai and $21.00 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 $704, than in Shanghai at $1,209. 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.