Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Da Nang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Da Nang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,192 per month in Shanghai vs $704 in Da Nang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Shanghai vs $1,081 in Da Nang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,724 per month in Shanghai vs $1,458 in Da Nang, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 69% more than Da Nang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Da Nang are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Da Nang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$1.93 ₫50.8K

144.56%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$19.46 ₫511.5K

84.58%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$4.65 ₫122.2K

23.44%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$1.61 ₫42.3K

118.63%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.51 ₫13.4K

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.29 ₫7,592

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$1.07 ₫28.2K

27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$1.59 ₫41.7K

78.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.38 ₫36.3K

52.17%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$0.95 ₫24.9K

89.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$1.17 ₫30.7K

-10.26%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.43 ₫37.5K

17.48%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$12.59 ₫331.0K

25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.64 ₫95.8K

-12.91%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$9.79 ₫257.3K

12.56%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$2.76 ₫72.4K

-13.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$0.94 ₫24.8K

79.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.12 ₫29.4K

58.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.05 ₫27.6K

38.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$1.10 ₫28.9K

-24.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.19 ₫31.4K

-5.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$1.00 ₫26.3K

-32.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.48 ₫12.7K

25.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$1.38 ₫36.3K

104.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$7.52 ₫197.7K

56.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.81 ₫21.4K

-3.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.60 ₫42.1K

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.32 ₫8,321

28.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$3.73 ₫98.2K

839.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$0.82 ₫21.5K

175.61%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.69 ₫18.3K

-46.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$12.03 ₫316.4K

-32.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$0.91 ₫24.0K

26.37%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$27.2K ₫715.1M

-29.10%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$28.1K ₫739.2M

-36.97%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$74.1 ₫1.9M

-28.41%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$5.97 ₫157.0K

46.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$8.07 ₫212.3K

70.76%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$20.06 ₫527.5K

126.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$7.52 ₫197.6K

165.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$3.00 ₫78.9K

176.67%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$153 ₫4.0M

725.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$12.8K ₫336.9M

147.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$39.61 ₫1.0M

45.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$25.60 ₫673.1K

48.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$52.7 ₫1.4M

46.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$76.9 ₫2.0M

25.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$365 ₫9.6M

161.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$244 ₫6.4M

127.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$732 ₫19.2M

241.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$458 ₫12.0M

163.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$3,767 ₫99.0M

279.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,304 ₫34.3M

407.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$359 ₫9.4M

374.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

10.67

-66.45%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Da Nang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $955 in Shanghai versus $365 in Da Nang. 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 374% 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $19.00 in Da Nang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $186 – making Da Nang 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 Da Nang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai, $704 in Da Nang – roughly 69% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,788 per month in Shanghai and $1,056 in Da Nang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 22% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai and $19.00 in Da Nang. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Da Nang, where all-in costs run around $704, than in Shanghai at $1,192. In Da Nang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

It depends on your priorities. Da Nang has an edge in some lifestyle areas, with costs from $704 in Da Nang to $1,192 in Shanghai. Climate, culture, job market, and personal taste all factor in.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Da Nang. 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.