Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bengbu Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bengbu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $649 in Bengbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,061 in Bengbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,473 in Bengbu.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 86% more expensive than Bengbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Bengbu 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$2.84 ¥19.23

72.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$22.21 ¥150

63.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$4.98 ¥33.71

12.25%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.18 ¥21.53

11.64%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.45 ¥3.03

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.26 ¥1.77

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$0.81 ¥5.49

76.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.03 ¥13.75

40.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$2.04 ¥13.80

5.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.02 ¥6.88

74.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.72 ¥4.88

52.78%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.47 ¥9.94

14.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$9.30 ¥63.0

64.52%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$2.85 ¥19.27

9.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$8.76 ¥59.3

22.83%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.35 ¥9.16

67.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$0.95 ¥6.41

75.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.37 ¥9.30

31.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$0.71 ¥4.81

115.49%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.57 ¥3.88

42.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.55 ¥3.70

101.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.71 ¥4.84

-4.23%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.43 ¥2.95

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$2.85 ¥19.32

-0.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$6.04 ¥40.90

92.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.67 ¥4.51

17.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.35 ¥9.17

21.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.82

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.96 ¥115

102.89%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.52 ¥10.29

45.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.36 ¥2.41

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$8.57 ¥58.1

-2.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.12 ¥7.59

1.79%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$17.3K ¥117.2K

12.94%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$14.3K ¥97.1K

26.65%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$34.21 ¥232

54.37%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$4.93 ¥33.36

73.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$8.15 ¥55.2

69.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$41.98 ¥284

12.01%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.95 ¥94.5

42.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$5.47 ¥37.04

54.66%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$410 ¥2,777

217.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$18.4K ¥124.3K

72.01%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$43.07 ¥292

38.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$33.20 ¥225

14.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$67.7 ¥458

16.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$82.8 ¥561

19.89%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$278 ¥1,882

235.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$185 ¥1,253

208.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$587 ¥3,977

324.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$367 ¥2,485

224.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$3,084 ¥20.9K

353.52%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,783 ¥12.1K

277.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$652 ¥4,417

158.95%

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 Bengbu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $278 in Bengbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 159% 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 $22.00 in Bengbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $158 per month, with Bengbu 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 Bengbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bengbu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 86% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 159% 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 $278 in Bengbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $410 in Bengbu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 42% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $649 in Bengbu versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bengbu but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Bengbu 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.

Expats usually find Bengbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 86% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.