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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Shanghai vs $691 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,973 per month in Shanghai vs $1,088 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,733 per month in Shanghai vs $1,484 in Chengdu, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 75% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shanghai and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Chengdu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.73

$2.84 ¥19.14

76.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$23.43 ¥158

53.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.34

$4.94 ¥33.34

12.15%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.81

$2.79 ¥18.84

26.52%

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

$0.57 ¥3.86

$0.43 ¥2.93

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.30 ¥2.03

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.45

$1.14 ¥7.67

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.63

$2.11 ¥14.22

30.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.76

$1.79 ¥12.10

22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.10

$1.45 ¥9.77

23.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.45

$0.91 ¥6.17

20.88%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.24

$1.92 ¥12.96

-13.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$13.62 ¥91.8

11.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.82

$3.65 ¥24.63

-15.34%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥74.9

$11.42 ¥77.0

-2.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.85

$1.84 ¥12.39

27.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.82

$1.23 ¥8.29

42.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥11.98

$1.44 ¥9.71

23.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$1.06 ¥7.18

37.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.71 ¥4.80

12.68%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.46

$0.70 ¥4.73

58.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$0.60 ¥4.02

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.57 ¥3.83

5.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.19

$3.40 ¥22.91

-16.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.0

$5.44 ¥36.69

115.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.94 ¥6.36

-14.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.92

$1.88 ¥12.70

-13.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.43 ¥2.92

-4.65%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$27.82 ¥188

23.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.75

$1.22 ¥8.24

79.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.28 ¥1.91

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.7

$4.28 ¥28.84

89.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.33

$1.12 ¥7.55

-2.68%

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

$19.8K ¥133.7K

$18.7K ¥125.9K

6.20%

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

$17.8K ¥119.9K

$16.7K ¥112.4K

6.68%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$44.08 ¥297

18.99%

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

$8.46 ¥57.1

$11.44 ¥77.2

-26.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.5

$11.59 ¥78.2

17.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$23.88 ¥161

92.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$11.59 ¥78.2

72.13%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$5.43 ¥36.63

51.93%

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

$1,280 ¥8,636

$342 ¥2,308

274.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.0K

$12.3K ¥82.9K

153.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$36.64 ¥247

61.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥256

$38.88 ¥262

-2.29%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$66.4 ¥448

16.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥654

$51.5 ¥347

88.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,380

$310 ¥2,093

204.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,740

$180 ¥1,215

207.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$611 ¥4,122

301.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,097

$324 ¥2,185

270.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.2K

$3,792 ¥25.6K

272.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.8K

$1,909 ¥12.9K

248.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.7K

$1,258 ¥8,484

38.43%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Shanghai versus $310 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $23.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 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: $1,212 in Shanghai, $691 in Chengdu – roughly 75% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,818 per month in Shanghai and $1,037 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 $36.00 in Shanghai and $23.00 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 $1,212 in Shanghai and $691 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 $691, than in Shanghai at $1,212. 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.