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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $708 in Changzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,160 in Changzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,612 in Changzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 71% more expensive than Changzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Changzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$2.84 ¥19.24

72.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$26.70 ¥181

35.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$4.24 ¥28.74

31.84%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$2.95 ¥20.00

20.34%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.48 ¥3.22

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.25 ¥1.68

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$0.69 ¥4.66

107.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$1.42 ¥9.64

100.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.99 ¥13.49

8.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.27 ¥8.61

40.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.93 ¥6.30

18.28%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.80 ¥12.18

-6.11%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$6.80 ¥46.08

125.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$2.41 ¥16.33

29.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$9.43 ¥63.9

14.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.77 ¥12.00

27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.79 ¥12.11

-6.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.65 ¥11.16

9.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$0.96 ¥6.51

59.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.73 ¥4.96

10.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.92 ¥6.22

20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.39 ¥2.65

74.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.49 ¥3.30

14.29%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.01 ¥20.42

-5.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$10.32 ¥69.9

12.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.69 ¥4.65

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.62 ¥11.00

1.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.30 ¥2.01

43.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$13.20 ¥89.4

160.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.35 ¥9.14

63.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.28 ¥1.91

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$2.71 ¥18.34

209.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.16 ¥7.85

-1.72%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$15.4K ¥104.2K

27.06%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$17.4K ¥117.7K

4.47%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$44.68 ¥303

18.20%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$11.47 ¥77.7

-25.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$18.22 ¥123

-24.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$38.78 ¥263

21.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$14.10 ¥95.5

40.50%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.43 ¥43.53

31.57%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$230 ¥1,560

465.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$13.9K ¥94.0K

127.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$46.28 ¥313

28.74%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$26.00 ¥176

46.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$70.6 ¥478

11.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$69.0 ¥467

43.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$285 ¥1,931

227.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$204 ¥1,384

178.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$844 ¥5,715

195.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$472 ¥3,196

152.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$2,967 ¥20.1K

371.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,597 ¥10.8K

321.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,140 ¥7,722

48.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.35

6.87%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Changzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $285 in Changzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 48% 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 $27.00 in Changzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $174 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 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 48% 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 $285 in Changzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% 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 $27.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $708 in Changzhou versus $1,209 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 71% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.