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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,187 per month in Shanghai vs $634 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,956 per month in Shanghai vs $1,031 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,725 per month in Shanghai vs $1,429 in Chongqing, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 87% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shanghai and Chongqing are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Chongqing 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.01 ¥34.24

$2.73 ¥18.66

83.52%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥246

$21.15 ¥145

69.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.49 ¥37.55

$4.98 ¥34.09

10.24%

Cappuccino

$3.57 ¥24.42

$2.38 ¥16.25

50.00%

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

$0.59 ¥4.02

$0.44 ¥3.00

34.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ¥2.51

$0.29 ¥1.98

27.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.77

$0.95 ¥6.50

50.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.42

$2.13 ¥14.57

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.20 ¥15.01

$1.78 ¥12.16

23.60%

White Bread (500g)

$1.86 ¥12.75

$1.25 ¥8.52

48.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.22

$0.73 ¥4.96

45.21%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥11.02

$1.86 ¥12.70

-13.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.67 ¥107

$15.87 ¥109

-1.26%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.23 ¥22.06

$2.51 ¥17.14

28.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.12 ¥76.1

$10.37 ¥70.9

7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 ¥15.52

$1.48 ¥10.11

53.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.44

$1.31 ¥8.94

27.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.27

$1.07 ¥7.34

67.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.91

$1.13 ¥7.75

28.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.46

$0.65 ¥4.44

23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.64

$0.90 ¥6.12

24.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.61

$0.54 ¥3.67

24.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.14

$0.63 ¥4.31

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.71 ¥18.57

$3.15 ¥21.57

-13.97%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.64 ¥79.6

$8.89 ¥60.8

30.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.79

$0.96 ¥6.56

-11.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.14

$1.98 ¥13.55

-17.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.99

$0.27 ¥1.84

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.31 ¥242

$25.11 ¥172

40.62%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.49

$1.41 ¥9.61

60.28%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.54

$0.30 ¥2.03

23.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.61 ¥58.9

$2.71 ¥18.54

217.71%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.54

$1.11 ¥7.59

-0.90%

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

$19.8K ¥135.2K

$18.3K ¥125.4K

7.87%

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

$18.3K ¥125.0K

$16.3K ¥111.5K

12.10%

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

$53.2 ¥364

$35.98 ¥246

47.89%

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

$8.94 ¥61.1

$6.04 ¥41.33

48.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.59 ¥93.0

$8.45 ¥57.8

60.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.11 ¥315

$21.73 ¥149

112.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.42 ¥140

$15.95 ¥109

28.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.33 ¥57.0

$5.46 ¥37.31

52.56%

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

$1,293 ¥8,843

$331 ¥2,264

290.63%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K ¥218.9K

$27.4K ¥187.5K

16.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.9 ¥403

$29.34 ¥201

100.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.98 ¥260

$28.75 ¥197

32.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.1 ¥541

$58.5 ¥400

35.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$98.6 ¥674

$60.0 ¥410

64.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,531

$266 ¥1,818

259.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$569 ¥3,889

$158 ¥1,083

259.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,489 ¥17.0K

$582 ¥3,979

327.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,198 ¥8,192

$324 ¥2,214

270.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥95.7K

$2,569 ¥17.6K

444.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,088 ¥48.5K

$1,657 ¥11.3K

327.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,696 ¥11.6K

$1,041 ¥7,123

62.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.74

-4.28%

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

Last update for Shanghai: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $955 in Shanghai versus $266 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 63% 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 in Shanghai versus $21 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $229 vs $197 – 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 87%, 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 $1,781 per month in Shanghai and $951 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 $1,293 per month in Shanghai and $331 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $634, than in Shanghai at $1,187. 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.