Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Chongqing Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Chongqing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Shanghai vs $732 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Shanghai vs $1,164 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Shanghai vs $1,596 in Chongqing, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 71% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shanghai and Chongqing are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Chongqing 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.25

$2.70 ¥18.07

61.48%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$22.67 ¥152

31.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.99

$4.79 ¥32.12

5.85%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.68

$2.01 ¥13.49

68.16%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.46 ¥3.10

28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.31 ¥2.11

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.75

$1.22 ¥8.14

-4.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.93

$1.75 ¥11.73

36.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.87

$1.92 ¥12.85

7.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.20

$1.58 ¥10.60

24.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.48

$0.64 ¥4.26

51.56%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.23

$2.13 ¥14.26

-21.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$18.11 ¥121

-6.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.69

$3.31 ¥22.16

2.42%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.1

$10.09 ¥67.6

30.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.57

$1.54 ¥10.31

50.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.71

$1.31 ¥8.79

33.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.41

$1.18 ¥7.93

69.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.74

$1.20 ¥8.05

45.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.64 ¥4.30

28.12%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.93 ¥6.21

7.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$0.86 ¥5.79

-24.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$0.60 ¥4.05

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.55

$2.89 ¥19.34

52.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥74.9

$8.73 ¥58.5

27.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$0.76 ¥5.07

23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.47

$1.62 ¥10.88

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$0.36 ¥2.41

61.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$21.96 ¥147

34.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$1.50 ¥10.08

49.33%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.93

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$3.00 ¥20.07

192.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.40

$1.27 ¥8.51

-1.57%

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

$19.7K ¥131.9K

$19.1K ¥128.0K

3.08%

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

$18.2K ¥122.2K

$16.9K ¥113.0K

8.14%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$43.83 ¥294

40.57%

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

$8.45 ¥56.6

$6.95 ¥46.54

21.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.8

$6.87 ¥46.01

51.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$48.77 ¥327

42.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$10.54 ¥70.7

55.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.2

$5.83 ¥39.04

51.63%

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

$1,383 ¥9,267

$283 ¥1,900

387.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥180.8K

$25.2K ¥169.1K

6.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥347

$39.61 ¥265

30.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$29.50 ¥198

28.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥502

$64.5 ¥432

16.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥706

$64.4 ¥431

63.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,600

$420 ¥2,814

134.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,833

$202 ¥1,353

183.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.5K

$861 ¥5,768

186.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,023

$415 ¥2,778

188.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.5K

$2,682 ¥18.0K

409.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.2K

$1,703 ¥11.4K

261.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$1,119 ¥7,500

54.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.34

0.30%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Shanghai versus $420 in Chongqing. 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 55% 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 $30.00 in Shanghai versus $23.00 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $212 – making Chongqing 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 Chongqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 71%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,871 per month in Shanghai and $1,097 in Chongqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,383 per month in Shanghai and $283 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% more in Shanghai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $732, than in Shanghai at $1,247. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – 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 Chongqing. 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.