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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Shanghai vs $759 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Shanghai vs $1,226 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Shanghai vs $1,692 in Chengdu, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 61% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Shanghai and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.27

$2.91 ¥19.51

55.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$19.82 ¥133

47.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.27

$5.34 ¥35.78

-1.50%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.31

$2.89 ¥19.40

10.03%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$0.50 ¥3.36

24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.28 ¥1.88

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$1.46 ¥9.79

-19.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.34

$2.44 ¥16.37

12.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.80 ¥12.08

5.56%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.67 ¥11.17

13.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$0.93 ¥6.25

9.68%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.90

$1.54 ¥10.30

5.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$14.12 ¥94.6

21.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.21

$3.50 ¥23.45

-9.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$11.43 ¥76.6

14.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.85 ¥12.41

15.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.27 ¥8.48

42.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.06 ¥7.12

86.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.25 ¥8.36

28.80%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.70 ¥4.71

10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.73 ¥4.86

23.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.68 ¥4.59

-2.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.55 ¥3.70

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.43

$3.78 ¥25.32

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.5

$5.45 ¥36.49

90.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$0.76 ¥5.12

15.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.41

$1.47 ¥9.82

5.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.46 ¥3.11

28.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$24.55 ¥165

22.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.32 ¥8.83

63.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.89

$0.29 ¥1.91

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.6

$4.45 ¥29.80

103.15%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.24 ¥8.31

1.61%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$19.6K ¥131.0K

-0.54%

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

$18.7K ¥125.3K

$17.6K ¥118.2K

6.01%

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

$57.5 ¥386

$41.28 ¥277

39.39%

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

$8.41 ¥56.4

$9.61 ¥64.4

-12.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$12.79 ¥85.7

-21.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$26.65 ¥179

144.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$11.07 ¥74.2

56.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$5.93 ¥39.76

51.43%

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

$1,411 ¥9,455

$411 ¥2,753

243.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.2K

$14.8K ¥99.0K

91.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$29.38 ¥197

76.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥251

$30.00 ¥201

24.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥494

$60.5 ¥405

21.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$51.1 ¥343

105.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,577

$485 ¥3,249

102.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,787

$261 ¥1,748

116.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$860 ¥5,763

181.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,810

$561 ¥3,757

107.90%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,788 ¥25.4K

261.00%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$1,965 ¥13.2K

211.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$1,276 ¥8,549

36.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Shanghai versus $485 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 37% 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 $29.00 in Shanghai versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 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: $1,219 in Shanghai, $759 in Chengdu – roughly 61% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,829 per month in Shanghai and $1,139 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 $29.00 in Shanghai and $20.00 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 $1,219 in Shanghai and $759 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 $759, than in Shanghai at $1,219. 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.