Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $817 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,230 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,644 in Changchun.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 53% more expensive than in Changchun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Changchun 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.25

$2.81 ¥18.82

55.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$21.92 ¥147

36.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.99

$5.93 ¥39.75

-14.50%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.68

$2.37 ¥15.91

42.62%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.58 ¥3.86

1.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.31 ¥2.09

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.75

$0.87 ¥5.82

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.93

$1.84 ¥12.35

29.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.87

$1.95 ¥13.04

6.15%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.20

$1.27 ¥8.51

55.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.48

$1.35 ¥9.08

-28.15%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.23

$1.88 ¥12.61

-10.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$34.14 ¥229

-50.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.69

$4.95 ¥33.19

-31.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.1

$8.96 ¥60.1

46.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.57

$1.70 ¥11.38

36.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.71

$1.10 ¥7.36

59.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.41

$1.75 ¥11.72

14.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.74

$1.37 ¥9.20

27.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.70 ¥4.72

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$0.57 ¥3.79

14.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$1.15 ¥7.73

-43.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.55

$3.68 ¥24.63

19.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥74.9

$12.05 ¥80.7

-7.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$0.86 ¥5.74

9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.47

$1.14 ¥7.66

36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$0.43 ¥2.90

34.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$1.18 ¥7.89

89.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.92

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$2.99 ¥20.03

193.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.40

$1.26 ¥8.48

-0.79%

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

$19.7K ¥131.9K

$19.2K ¥128.8K

2.40%

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

$18.2K ¥122.2K

$18.1K ¥121.0K

0.98%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$45.06 ¥302

36.73%

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

$8.45 ¥56.6

$4.33 ¥29.01

95.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.8

$14.92 ¥100

-30.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$37.18 ¥249

87.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$4.11 ¥27.54

298.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.2

$9.53 ¥63.9

-7.24%

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

$1,383 ¥9,267

$295 ¥1,977

368.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥180.8K

$8,938 ¥59.9K

201.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥347

$51.4 ¥344

0.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$44.54 ¥298

-15.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥502

$60.1 ¥403

24.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥706

$69.9 ¥468

50.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,600

$219 ¥1,471

348.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,833

$249 ¥1,670

129.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.5K

$578 ¥3,876

326.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,023

$314 ¥2,106

280.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.5K

$1,635 ¥11.0K

735.03%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.2K

$976 ¥6,540

530.08%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$965 ¥6,468

79.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

4.37

-23.34%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Changchun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $219 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 80% 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 $22.00 in Changchun. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $277, with Shanghai cheaper for home cooking.

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 Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 53% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 80% 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 $219 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $295 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Changchun – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $30.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $817 in Changchun versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun 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 Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.