Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Beijing (Pekin) Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Beijing (Pekin)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,761 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $2,463 in Beijing (Pekin), rent included.

Shanghai costs about 14% more than Beijing (Pekin), driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Beijing (Pekin) are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Beijing (Pekin) 21% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$4.15 ¥28.09

18.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$27.92 ¥189

30.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$5.31 ¥35.94

5.27%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.04 ¥20.59

16.78%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.46 ¥3.12

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.30 ¥2.04

20.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$1.14 ¥7.72

25.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.13 ¥14.45

33.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.72 ¥11.68

25.58%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.59 ¥10.76

11.95%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.10 ¥7.47

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.65 ¥11.17

2.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$15.89 ¥108

-3.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.22 ¥21.79

-3.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$9.98 ¥67.6

7.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$2.11 ¥14.26

7.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.59 ¥10.77

5.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.74 ¥11.78

3.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.35 ¥9.12

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.83 ¥5.65

-2.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.92 ¥6.26

20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.71 ¥4.84

-4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.56 ¥3.80

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.45 ¥23.35

-17.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$14.96 ¥101

-22.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.86 ¥5.81

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.84 ¥12.48

-10.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.54 ¥3.67

-20.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$31.39 ¥213

9.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.85 ¥12.51

19.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.36 ¥2.41

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$10.52 ¥71.2

-20.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.10 ¥7.42

3.64%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$18.2K ¥122.9K

7.65%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$15.4K ¥104.2K

17.95%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$52.7 ¥357

0.21%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$8.97 ¥60.8

-4.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$12.62 ¥85.5

9.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$48.30 ¥327

-2.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$17.96 ¥122

10.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$8.17 ¥55.4

3.55%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$668 ¥4,524

95.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$24.1K ¥163.1K

31.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$61.1 ¥413

-2.41%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$34.02 ¥230

11.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$76.8 ¥520

2.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$99.1 ¥671

0.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$916 ¥6,202

1.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$455 ¥3,084

25.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$1,913 ¥13.0K

30.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$1,084 ¥7,340

10.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$12.4K ¥83.8K

13.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$6,323 ¥42.8K

6.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,569 ¥10.6K

7.64%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.64

-1.65%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Beijing (Pekin): May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $916 in Beijing (Pekin). Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 8% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai versus $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin). Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $223 – making Beijing (Pekin) 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 Beijing (Pekin): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 14%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $1,589 in Beijing (Pekin). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai and $28.00 in Beijing (Pekin). That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,209 in Shanghai and $1,059 in Beijing (Pekin). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Beijing (Pekin), where all-in costs run around $1,059, than in Shanghai at $1,209. In Beijing (Pekin) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beijing (Pekin) – 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 Beijing (Pekin). 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.