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: $1,236 in Shanghai versus $720 in Datong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Shanghai versus $1,149 in Datong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,717 in Shanghai versus $1,578 in Datong.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 72% more expensive than in Datong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Datong 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.52

$2.73 ¥18.31

67.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 ¥198

$21.78 ¥146

35.45%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.98

$4.89 ¥32.78

9.82%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.49

$3.01 ¥20.16

6.64%

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

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.43 ¥2.90

41.86%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.27 ¥1.78

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.13

$0.93 ¥6.22

30.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥18.15

$2.04 ¥13.64

32.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.82 ¥12.16

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$1.60 ¥10.75

15.63%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.96

$0.96 ¥6.43

8.33%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.49

$1.56 ¥10.44

0.64%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ¥117

$12.63 ¥84.6

38.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ¥22.23

$3.13 ¥20.98

6.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$10.15 ¥68.0

33.79%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.20

$1.82 ¥12.16

16.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.20 ¥8.04

47.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.33

$1.52 ¥10.21

30.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.15 ¥7.67

53.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.44

$0.75 ¥5.05

8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$0.97 ¥6.47

4.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.57 ¥3.80

22.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.44

$0.54 ¥3.63

22.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.46

$3.16 ¥21.14

20.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.0

$10.55 ¥70.6

-2.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.27

$0.74 ¥4.93

27.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.58

$1.60 ¥10.71

-1.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$0.27 ¥1.79

118.52%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.87 ¥200

$16.50 ¥111

81.03%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.83

$1.37 ¥9.18

61.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.33 ¥2.18

42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ¥60.0

$6.76 ¥45.28

32.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.54

$1.13 ¥7.58

13.27%

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

$19.6K ¥131.0K

$19.3K ¥129.4K

1.26%

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

$19.0K ¥127.1K

$17.4K ¥116.3K

9.28%

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

$59.3 ¥397

$45.67 ¥306

29.91%

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

$8.62 ¥57.7

$9.93 ¥66.5

-13.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 ¥66.3

$11.86 ¥79.5

-16.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ¥439

$41.18 ¥276

59.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 ¥110

$14.00 ¥93.8

17.50%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ¥60.9

$5.86 ¥39.22

55.12%

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

$1,439 ¥9,638

$329 ¥2,204

337.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ¥172.6K

$17.0K ¥114.0K

51.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ¥355

$44.49 ¥298

19.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.80 ¥253

$30.62 ¥205

23.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥497

$71.8 ¥481

3.37%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ¥720

$71.8 ¥481

49.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 ¥6,743

$280 ¥1,873

260.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,781

$195 ¥1,307

189.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 ¥16.1K

$582 ¥3,895

313.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 ¥8,120

$361 ¥2,415

236.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥92.5K

$3,031 ¥20.3K

355.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,147 ¥41.2K

$2,054 ¥13.8K

199.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.89

-13.62%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Last update for Datong: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,007 in Shanghai and $280 in Datong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $29.00 in Shanghai vs $22.00 in Datong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $197 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 72% 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 $1,854 in Shanghai and $1,080 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: $1,007 in Shanghai versus $280 in Datong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,439 in Shanghai versus $329 in Datong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $720 in Datong versus $1,236 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 72% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.