Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,220 per month in Shanghai vs $670 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,946 per month in Shanghai vs $1,074 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,672 per month in Shanghai vs $1,478 in Chengdu, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 82% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shanghai and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Chengdu 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 ¥32.39

$2.84 ¥19.42

66.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 ¥253

$24.02 ¥165

53.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥37.03

$4.78 ¥32.72

13.18%

Cappuccino

$3.42 ¥23.41

$2.77 ¥19.01

23.47%

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

$0.55 ¥3.76

$0.43 ¥2.95

27.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ¥2.32

$0.30 ¥2.08

13.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ¥9.63

$1.13 ¥7.75

24.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥19.67

$2.04 ¥13.97

40.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ¥14.23

$1.82 ¥12.45

14.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.30

$1.45 ¥9.92

24.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.18

$0.92 ¥6.32

14.13%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.14

$1.94 ¥13.28

-15.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 ¥105

$13.50 ¥92.5

13.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ¥21.10

$3.52 ¥24.11

-12.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 ¥75.1

$11.22 ¥76.8

-2.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.24

$1.92 ¥13.16

23.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥12.13

$1.23 ¥8.39

43.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.88

$1.49 ¥10.24

16.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.05

$1.08 ¥7.40

36.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.37

$0.69 ¥4.75

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.71

$0.71 ¥4.84

59.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$0.56 ¥3.84

21.43%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.10

$0.60 ¥4.14

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.28

$3.39 ¥23.21

-16.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 ¥81.2

$5.58 ¥38.20

112.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.45

$1.00 ¥6.88

-20.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.98

$1.79 ¥12.26

-10.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.43 ¥2.96

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 ¥241

$27.53 ¥189

27.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ¥15.09

$1.28 ¥8.79

71.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.80

$0.26 ¥1.77

57.69%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ¥56.5

$4.26 ¥29.16

93.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.56

$1.18 ¥8.07

-6.78%

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

$19.8K ¥135.7K

$18.7K ¥127.9K

6.10%

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

$18.1K ¥124.2K

$16.3K ¥111.9K

10.95%

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

$51.3 ¥351

$43.81 ¥300

17.05%

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

$8.47 ¥58.0

$11.49 ¥78.7

-26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.92 ¥95.4

$11.73 ¥80.3

18.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 ¥319

$24.26 ¥166

92.13%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 ¥138

$11.27 ¥77.2

78.79%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.6

$5.73 ¥39.23

44.15%

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

$1,309 ¥8,969

$340 ¥2,326

285.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K ¥219.3K

$12.2K ¥83.4K

163.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ¥399

$37.27 ¥255

56.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥261

$39.16 ¥268

-2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 ¥540

$65.7 ¥450

20.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥660

$50.4 ¥345

91.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ¥6,595

$308 ¥2,112

212.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 ¥3,859

$181 ¥1,242

210.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥17.1K

$622 ¥4,258

300.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,198

$330 ¥2,263

262.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥94.9K

$3,887 ¥26.6K

256.21%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,279 ¥49.9K

$2,045 ¥14.0K

255.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,671 ¥11.4K

$1,210 ¥8,287

38.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.21

-14.96%

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

Last update for Shanghai: April 25, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Shanghai versus $308 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 38% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Shanghai versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $197 – making Chengdu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,220 in Shanghai, $670 in Chengdu – roughly 82% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,830 per month in Shanghai and $1,006 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Shanghai and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,220 in Shanghai and $670 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $670, than in Shanghai at $1,220. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.