Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bozhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Bozhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $695 in Bozhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,082 in Bozhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,469 in Bozhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 74% more expensive than Bozhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Bozhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$1.37 ¥9.25

257.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$21.06 ¥143

72.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$4.61 ¥31.24

21.26%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.10 ¥20.98

14.52%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.35 ¥2.40

62.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.82

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$1.13 ¥7.64

26.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$1.63 ¥11.04

74.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.09 ¥7.41

98.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.61 ¥10.93

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.90 ¥6.13

22.22%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.58 ¥10.70

6.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$12.69 ¥85.9

20.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.20 ¥21.66

-2.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$10.33 ¥70.0

4.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.74 ¥11.80

29.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.24 ¥8.42

34.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.41 ¥9.56

27.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.14 ¥7.69

34.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.68 ¥4.64

19.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.97 ¥6.55

14.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.60 ¥4.09

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.51 ¥3.45

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.21 ¥21.76

-11.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$9.58 ¥64.9

21.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.76 ¥5.12

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.60 ¥10.87

2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.29 ¥1.97

48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.77 ¥114

105.19%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$0.93 ¥6.27

137.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.34 ¥2.33

11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.70 ¥45.35

25.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.18 ¥8.02

-3.39%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$19.5K ¥132.1K

0.15%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

8.83%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$46.12 ¥312

14.51%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$9.52 ¥64.5

-10.40%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$7.12 ¥48.21

94.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$42.31 ¥287

11.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$14.05 ¥95.1

41.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.44 ¥43.65

31.37%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$337 ¥2,282

286.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$17.1K ¥115.9K

84.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$43.68 ¥296

36.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$29.91 ¥203

27.35%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$70.9 ¥480

11.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$74.1 ¥502

33.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$283 ¥1,920

229.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$190 ¥1,288

199.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$585 ¥3,965

325.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$356 ¥2,408

235.34%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$3,283 ¥22.2K

326.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,759 ¥11.9K

282.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$734 ¥4,971

130.09%

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 Bozhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $283 in Bozhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 130% 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 $21.00 in Bozhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $188 per month, with Bozhou 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 Bozhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bozhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 74% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 130% 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 $283 in Bozhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bozhou – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $695 in Bozhou – a 74% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $695 in Bozhou versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bozhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Bozhou 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 Bozhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 74% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.