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: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $1,122 in Craiova.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,626 in Craiova.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $2,130 in Craiova.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 6% more expensive than in Craiova, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Craiova 16% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.97

$9.18 RON 41.92

-48.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$46.85 RON 214

-23.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.81

$7.92 RON 36.16

-27.53%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.80

$2.51 RON 11.44

40.24%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$2.19 RON 9.99

-73.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$1.96 RON 8.93

-83.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.20

$2.37 RON 10.80

-42.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$3.42 RON 15.62

-16.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.20

$1.57 RON 7.19

33.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$0.93 RON 4.25

93.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.13

$1.69 RON 7.70

-37.87%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.35

$3.35 RON 15.31

-49.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$7.41 RON 33.82

112.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$6.70 RON 30.59

-52.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.6

$9.62 RON 43.91

14.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.08

$1.27 RON 5.79

87.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.47

$1.65 RON 7.52

2.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$1.60 RON 7.30

11.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.83

$1.84 RON 8.40

-21.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$1.08 RON 4.95

-23.15%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$1.14 RON 5.20

-0.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.57

$0.78 RON 3.58

-12.82%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.78 RON 3.58

-23.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$5.95 RON 27.16

-52.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.5

$6.14 RON 28.03

91.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.28

$1.31 RON 5.97

-40.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.64

$2.30 RON 10.50

-31.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.67 RON 3.06

-38.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$23.28 RON 106

50.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$0.59 RON 2.72

283.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.81 RON 3.71

-54.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.4

$6.96 RON 31.79

17.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$1.56 RON 7.13

-26.28%

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

$19.3K ¥130.5K

$27.9K RON 127.2K

-30.77%

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

$17.7K ¥120.0K

$27.4K RON 125.1K

-35.30%

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

$53.0 ¥359

$209 RON 956

-74.68%

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

$8.77 ¥59.4

$7.88 RON 35.98

11.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.3

$11.73 RON 53.5

17.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$36.60 RON 167

24.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$18.87 RON 86.1

5.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.2

$6.61 RON 30.19

25.57%

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

$1,264 ¥8,555

$430 RON 1,961

194.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.3K

$8,943 RON 40.8K

254.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$78.5 RON 358

-26.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥257

$37.01 RON 169

2.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥521

$79.6 RON 363

-3.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥655

$86.4 RON 394

11.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,466

$389 RON 1,774

145.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,755

$305 RON 1,394

81.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$707 RON 3,225

253.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,166

$436 RON 1,988

177.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.7K

$2,557 RON 11.7K

458.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,999 RON 9,126

231.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$971 RON 4,434

75.21%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Craiova: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $389 in Craiova. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 75% 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 $47.00 in Craiova. Groceries flip the comparison at $228 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 6% 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.

Average pay runs 75% 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $389 in Craiova. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Shanghai versus $1,122 in Craiova – a 6% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Craiova runs roughly 51% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,122 in Craiova versus $1,192 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 6% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.