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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $721 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,112 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,503 in Changchun.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 68% more expensive than Changchun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Changchun 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$2.72 ¥18.38

80.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$20.09 ¥136

80.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$4.76 ¥32.21

17.44%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$2.67 ¥18.04

32.96%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.46 ¥3.09

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.81

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$0.86 ¥5.80

66.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$2.04 ¥13.80

39.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$1.94 ¥13.12

11.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.23 ¥8.31

44.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.21 ¥8.20

-9.09%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$1.06 ¥7.20

59.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$13.07 ¥88.4

17.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$3.51 ¥23.70

-11.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$8.61 ¥58.2

24.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.45 ¥9.79

55.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.06 ¥7.14

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$0.83 ¥5.58

116.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.35 ¥9.15

13.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.68 ¥4.57

19.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.62 ¥4.16

79.03%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.44 ¥2.98

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.51 ¥3.45

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$3.15 ¥21.31

-9.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$12.02 ¥81.3

-3.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.72 ¥4.89

9.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$0.96 ¥6.49

70.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.29 ¥1.99

48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.85 ¥114

104.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$1.09 ¥7.34

102.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.26 ¥1.75

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$3.29 ¥22.25

154.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.13 ¥7.67

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$18.3K ¥123.9K

6.65%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

-5.48%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$41.43 ¥280

27.47%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$14.73 ¥99.6

-42.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$14.13 ¥95.6

-2.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$42.61 ¥288

10.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$3.79 ¥25.60

422.69%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$4.95 ¥33.44

70.91%

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$280 ¥1,891

365.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$8,289 ¥56.1K

280.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$27.97 ¥189

113.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$31.03 ¥210

22.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$73.2 ¥495

7.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$79.4 ¥537

25.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$275 ¥1,863

238.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$228 ¥1,539

150.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$599 ¥4,048

315.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$365 ¥2,466

226.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$1,804 ¥12.2K

675.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,125 ¥7,607

498.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$962 ¥6,504

75.55%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

5.27

-32.07%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Changchun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $275 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 76% 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 $20.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $188 per month, with Changchun 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 Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 76% 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 $275 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Changchun runs roughly 104% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $280 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $721 in Changchun versus $1,209 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 68% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.