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: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $671 in Bengbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,053 in Bengbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,435 in Bengbu.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Bengbu 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.21 ¥14.85

97.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$10.26 ¥68.9

190.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.80 ¥32.21

5.63%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$3.13 ¥20.97

7.99%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.43 ¥2.91

37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.25 ¥1.68

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$1.48 ¥9.92

-21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.20 ¥14.79

8.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$2.17 ¥14.58

-4.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.07 ¥7.19

84.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.72 ¥4.80

34.72%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.36 ¥9.13

23.53%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$10.50 ¥70.5

61.05%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$2.91 ¥19.53

16.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$9.10 ¥61.1

44.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.46 ¥9.78

58.90%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.06 ¥7.13

65.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.52 ¥10.20

31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$0.70 ¥4.73

150.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.61 ¥4.08

34.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.62 ¥4.14

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.73 ¥4.89

-10.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.46 ¥3.09

41.30%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.02 ¥20.26

46.03%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$5.92 ¥39.71

88.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.76 ¥5.09

23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.53 ¥10.27

1.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.31 ¥2.10

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$18.14 ¥122

62.24%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.68 ¥11.25

33.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.35 ¥2.37

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$8.91 ¥59.8

-1.57%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.24 ¥8.35

0.81%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.4K ¥130.0K

1.56%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$16.3K ¥109.5K

11.73%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$37.69 ¥253

63.47%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$5.35 ¥35.87

57.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$6.97 ¥46.79

49.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$40.49 ¥272

72.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$12.99 ¥87.2

26.10%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$6.02 ¥40.41

46.84%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$417 ¥2,795

231.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$22.7K ¥152.4K

18.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$43.03 ¥289

20.50%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$33.55 ¥225

12.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$65.2 ¥438

14.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$85.9 ¥576

22.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$287 ¥1,925

243.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$182 ¥1,218

215.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$568 ¥3,809

335.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$325 ¥2,181

268.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,366 ¥22.6K

305.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,647 ¥11.1K

273.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$675 ¥4,528

156.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.42

-2.05%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Bengbu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $287 in Bengbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 157% 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 $10.00 in Bengbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $168 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.

Average pay runs 157% higher in Shanghai, 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $287 in Bengbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $417 in Bengbu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $671 in Bengbu versus $1,247 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.