Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Craiova Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Craiova

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Shanghai versus $1,219 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Shanghai versus $1,775 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,713 in Shanghai versus $2,331 in Craiova.

Monthly costs are close between Shanghai and Craiova; which city is cheaper depends on the spending category.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Craiova 11% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.26

$7.47 RON 34.28

-39.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$37.52 RON 172

-21.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.26

$7.73 RON 35.45

-31.95%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.30

$2.87 RON 13.18

10.80%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$2.31 RON 10.59

-73.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$1.90 RON 8.73

-81.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$2.45 RON 11.26

-52.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.33

$3.61 RON 16.58

-24.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.32 RON 6.06

43.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$0.92 RON 4.22

105.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$1.50 RON 6.86

-32.00%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.89

$3.44 RON 15.77

-52.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$7.54 RON 34.60

128.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.20

$6.70 RON 30.73

-52.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$11.65 RON 53.5

12.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.04 RON 4.79

104.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.52 RON 6.99

19.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.25

$1.52 RON 6.99

30.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.75

$1.90 RON 8.71

-15.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.86 RON 3.92

-10.47%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.94 RON 4.32

-4.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.77 RON 3.51

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.74 RON 3.38

-17.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.42

$6.70 RON 30.75

-43.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.4

$6.74 RON 30.90

53.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$1.18 RON 5.44

-25.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.60 RON 7.36

-3.13%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.89 RON 4.08

-33.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$26.08 RON 120

15.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.49

$0.63 RON 2.88

242.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.64 RON 2.91

-32.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.5

$6.62 RON 30.37

36.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.88 RON 8.61

-32.98%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$29.6K RON 136.0K

-34.37%

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

$18.7K ¥125.2K

$27.3K RON 125.1K

-31.43%

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

$57.5 ¥385

$206 RON 947

-72.11%

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

$8.41 ¥56.3

$10.52 RON 48.28

-20.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$11.68 RON 53.6

-13.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$41.43 RON 190

57.52%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$22.75 RON 104

-24.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$7.91 RON 36.28

13.53%

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

$1,411 ¥9,452

$441 RON 2,025

219.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.1K

$8,696 RON 39.9K

224.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$58.8 RON 270

-11.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥250

$49.69 RON 228

-24.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥493

$82.6 RON 379

-10.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$108 RON 497

-3.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,574

$536 RON 2,460

83.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,786

$401 RON 1,840

40.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$921 RON 4,225

162.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,807

$618 RON 2,836

88.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,767 RON 12.7K

394.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$2,050 RON 9,407

198.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$981 RON 4,500

77.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

6.84

-50.58%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Craiova: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Shanghai and $536 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 78% more on average. How far that income stretches comes down to housing choices and lifestyle.

Dining out: $29.00 in Shanghai vs $38.00 in Craiova. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $202, with Craiova cheaper for home cooking.

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 Craiova: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Average pay runs 78% higher in Shanghai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $982 in Shanghai versus $536 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,411 in Shanghai versus $441 in Craiova. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Craiova – a meal for two runs $38.00 versus $29.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $1,219 in Craiova versus $1,219 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Craiova but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Craiova the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Craiova are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

It comes down to priorities – Craiova wins on affordability, Shanghai on earning potential. Factor in climate, language, visa rules, and proximity to places that matter to you before deciding.