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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $1,126 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,662 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $2,198 in Craiova.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 7% more expensive than Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Craiova 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$8.99 RON 40.66

-45.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$45.57 RON 206

-20.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$8.23 RON 37.21

-32.08%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$2.58 RON 11.67

37.60%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$2.09 RON 9.46

-72.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$1.96 RON 8.88

-81.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$2.27 RON 10.24

-37.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$3.52 RON 15.90

-19.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$1.51 RON 6.81

43.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$0.92 RON 4.17

93.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.70 RON 7.67

-35.29%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$3.34 RON 15.09

-49.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$7.74 RON 34.99

97.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$6.65 RON 30.08

-53.08%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$9.69 RON 43.82

11.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.29 RON 5.81

75.19%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.71 RON 7.72

-2.34%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$1.54 RON 6.98

16.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.81 RON 8.19

-15.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$1.03 RON 4.67

-21.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$1.08 RON 4.87

2.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.83 RON 3.77

-18.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.74 RON 3.36

-24.32%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$5.98 RON 27.03

-52.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$6.27 RON 28.34

85.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.29 RON 5.85

-38.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$2.29 RON 10.34

-28.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.72 RON 3.27

-40.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$22.98 RON 104

49.74%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$0.56 RON 2.52

294.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.86 RON 3.91

-55.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$6.78 RON 30.67

23.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.61 RON 7.29

-29.19%

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$27.7K RON 125.1K

-29.37%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$27.2K RON 122.7K

-33.15%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$212 RON 959

-75.10%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$7.96 RON 35.97

7.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$11.53 RON 52.1

20.03%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$36.57 RON 165

28.58%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$18.92 RON 85.5

4.70%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$6.53 RON 29.52

29.56%

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$434 RON 1,962

200.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$9,152 RON 41.4K

244.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$78.5 RON 355

-24.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$37.39 RON 169

1.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$78.4 RON 354

0.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$85.1 RON 385

16.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$383 RON 1,729

143.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$306 RON 1,382

86.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$719 RON 3,251

246.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$443 RON 2,002

169.19%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$2,663 RON 12.0K

425.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$2,094 RON 9,466

221.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,007 RON 4,551

67.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

6.28

-42.99%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Craiova: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $383 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 68% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $46.00 in Craiova. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $203, 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

Craiova wins on cost – living expenses run 7% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Craiova the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Shanghai pays 68% more on average, 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $383 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $1,126 in Craiova – a 7% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 50% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,126 in Craiova versus $1,209 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.

Expats usually find Craiova gentler on the wallet – expenses run 7% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.