Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Changshu

For one person, living is cheaper in Changshu: $712 a month against $1,244 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $6,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
35

Cost of Living Index in Changshu
Learn more

Changshu Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Changshu

🇨🇳 China

$712

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Changshu

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shanghai and in Changshu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Shanghai versus $712 in Changshu.

Shanghai $1,244
Changshu $712

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $1,128 in Changshu.

Shanghai $1,999
Changshu $1,128

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Shanghai versus $1,544 in Changshu.

Shanghai $2,755
Changshu $1,544

Living in Shanghai is roughly 75% more expensive than in Changshu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 8% lower, Changshu 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.47

$2.83 ¥18.91

61.13%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$21.95 ¥147

37.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.13

$4.91 ¥32.85

6.92%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.94

$2.93 ¥19.60

11.95%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.46 ¥3.08

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.27 ¥1.79

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$0.87 ¥5.82

41.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.18

$2.04 ¥13.66

11.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.30

$1.88 ¥12.59

-2.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.08

$1.55 ¥10.38

26.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$0.89 ¥5.97

15.73%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.16

$1.58 ¥10.58

5.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$12.80 ¥85.6

32.50%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.33

$3.16 ¥21.10

0.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.3

$10.02 ¥67.0

28.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$1.87 ¥12.49

19.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.13

$1.25 ¥8.35

32.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$1.55 ¥10.37

30.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.08

$1.15 ¥7.70

44.35%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$0.70 ¥4.66

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.95 ¥6.33

-2.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.56 ¥3.72

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$0.51 ¥3.39

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.44

$3.22 ¥21.52

18.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.7

$10.47 ¥70.0

3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.51

$0.78 ¥5.22

5.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.57 ¥10.53

2.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$0.27 ¥1.79

125.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

$16.48 ¥110

78.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.11

$1.42 ¥9.51

48.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$0.33 ¥2.17

30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$6.63 ¥44.35

36.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.89

$1.12 ¥7.52

18.75%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.6K ¥130.7K

-2.71%

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

$18.7K ¥125.1K

$17.2K ¥115.1K

8.66%

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

$57.8 ¥387

$46.01 ¥308

25.65%

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

$8.09 ¥54.1

$9.96 ¥66.6

-18.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥70.0

$11.63 ¥77.8

-9.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$41.09 ¥275

59.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$14.00 ¥93.6

27.29%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.9

$5.81 ¥38.83

54.04%

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

$1,414 ¥9,451

$329 ¥2,198

329.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.2K

$16.9K ¥112.9K

64.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥361

$43.18 ¥289

25.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$30.03 ¥201

23.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$72.2 ¥483

2.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥706

$71.7 ¥479

47.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,056

$280 ¥1,870

277.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,910

$192 ¥1,283

204.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$597 ¥3,995

315.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,240

$357 ¥2,385

245.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.1K

$2,988 ¥20.0K

366.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.8K

$2,068 ¥13.8K

202.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.89

-13.62%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Changshu: October 13, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Changshu

$192 27% 67.2% $393

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Changshu

$198 27.8% 15.8% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Changshu

$98 13.7% 19.9% $24

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Changshu

$84 11.8% 20.9% $22

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Changshu

$53 7.4% 37% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Changshu

$68 9.5% 11.5% $8.8

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Changshu

$21 2.9% 43% $16

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Shanghai and $280 in Changshu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $22.00 in Changshu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $198 per month, with Changshu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇨🇳 Changshu

🕒 Local time

12:26 12:26 PM

Same time as Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

1,677,050

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 Changshu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changshu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 75% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,865 in Shanghai and $1,068 in Changshu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Shanghai versus $280 in Changshu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changshu – 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.

All in, you'll spend $1,244 per month in Shanghai versus $712 in Changshu – a 75% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $712 in Changshu versus $1,244 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changshu but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Changshu 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.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Changshu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changshu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 75% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.