Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Changzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Changzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $733 in Changzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,214 in Changzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,695 in Changzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 70% more expensive than in Changzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Changzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$3.01 ¥20.18

44.85%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$28.60 ¥192

4.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.56 ¥30.62

11.18%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.11 ¥14.19

60.19%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.38 ¥2.57

55.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.23 ¥1.54

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.57 ¥3.84

103.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$1.45 ¥9.75

64.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.93 ¥12.94

7.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.28 ¥8.57

53.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.96 ¥6.43

1.04%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.63 ¥10.91

3.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$7.53 ¥50.5

124.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$2.88 ¥19.36

17.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$12.37 ¥83.0

6.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$2.11 ¥14.16

9.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.73 ¥11.59

1.16%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$2.05 ¥13.74

-2.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.09 ¥7.30

60.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.87 ¥5.83

-5.75%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.93 ¥6.23

7.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.42 ¥2.79

54.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.68 ¥4.59

-4.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.26 ¥21.84

35.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$10.49 ¥70.4

6.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.93 ¥6.26

1.08%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.59 ¥10.67

-1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.35 ¥2.32

65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$14.09 ¥94.5

108.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.47 ¥9.83

52.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.31 ¥2.09

38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$2.86 ¥19.17

206.64%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.26 ¥8.47

-0.79%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$17.3K ¥115.9K

13.98%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$13.9K ¥93.5K

30.90%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$63.2 ¥424

-2.47%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$8.63 ¥57.9

-2.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$10.42 ¥69.9

-0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$40.42 ¥271

72.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$15.00 ¥101

9.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$4.55 ¥30.55

94.29%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$252 ¥1,691

448.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$14.9K ¥99.7K

81.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$48.92 ¥328

5.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$27.76 ¥186

36.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$73.1 ¥491

2.46%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$75.1 ¥504

40.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$284 ¥1,906

246.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$232 ¥1,555

146.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$918 ¥6,158

169.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$503 ¥3,378

137.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,950 ¥19.8K

362.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,603 ¥10.8K

283.55%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$1,067 ¥7,157

62.53%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Changzhou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $284 in Changzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 63% 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 $29.00 in Changzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $194 per month, with Changzhou 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 Changzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 63% 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 $284 in Changzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 25% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Changzhou – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $30.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $733 in Changzhou versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Changzhou 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 Changzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.