Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Datong Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Datong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $718 in Datong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,141 in Datong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,564 in Datong.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 68% more expensive than Datong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Datong 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.26

$2.84 ¥19.25

72.54%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$21.18 ¥144

71.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.93

$4.73 ¥32.08

18.18%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.09

$2.97 ¥20.13

19.53%

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

$0.57 ¥3.89

$0.46 ¥3.13

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.29 ¥1.98

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.69

$0.88 ¥5.96

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.30

$2.07 ¥14.01

37.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.64

$1.86 ¥12.60

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.54 ¥10.44

15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$0.89 ¥6.02

23.60%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.47

$1.53 ¥10.39

10.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$12.70 ¥86.1

20.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.18

$3.10 ¥21.03

0.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥73.0

$10.35 ¥70.2

3.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.33

$1.86 ¥12.59

21.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.34

$1.26 ¥8.56

32.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.20

$1.48 ¥10.06

21.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.38

$1.10 ¥7.45

39.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.70 ¥4.75

15.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.54

$0.95 ¥6.42

16.84%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.61 ¥4.12

11.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.77

$0.51 ¥3.45

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.24

$3.09 ¥20.94

-8.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.7

$10.74 ¥72.9

8.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.33

$0.76 ¥5.14

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.10

$1.61 ¥10.90

1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.29 ¥1.97

48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.99 ¥115

102.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.96

$1.35 ¥9.18

63.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.35 ¥2.38

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.8

$6.54 ¥44.39

28.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.73

$1.18 ¥8.00

-3.39%

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

$19.5K ¥132.5K

$19.4K ¥131.4K

0.83%

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

$18.1K ¥123.1K

$16.9K ¥114.8K

7.28%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$45.90 ¥311

15.05%

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

$8.53 ¥57.9

$9.91 ¥67.2

-13.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.9

$11.87 ¥80.5

16.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥319

$41.85 ¥284

12.35%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.71 ¥93.0

44.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.4

$6.09 ¥41.27

38.92%

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

$1,303 ¥8,836

$328 ¥2,223

297.48%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥214.1K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

87.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$44.31 ¥301

34.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$30.17 ¥205

26.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$72.2 ¥490

9.10%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥673

$71.2 ¥483

39.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,326

$281 ¥1,907

231.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,866

$196 ¥1,332

190.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$593 ¥4,025

319.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,087

$359 ¥2,437

231.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.9K

$3,073 ¥20.8K

355.13%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$2,047 ¥13.9K

228.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.89

-7.97%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Datong: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $281 in Datong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $21.00 in Datong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $198 per month, with Datong cheaper across the board.

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 Datong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Datong wins on cost – living expenses run 68% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Datong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,814 in Shanghai and $1,077 in Datong to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $933 in Shanghai versus $281 in Datong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $328 in Datong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $718 in Datong versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Datong but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Datong 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.

Expats usually find Datong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.