Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Dededo

For one person, living is cheaper in Shanghai: $1,256 a month against $2,734 in Dededo, rent and utilities included – about $17,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,256

/mo nomad

Dededo

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,734

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Dededo

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shanghai and in Dededo actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Shanghai versus $2,734 in Dededo.

Shanghai $1,256
Dededo $2,734

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $3,908 in Dededo.

Shanghai $1,999
Dededo $3,908

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Shanghai versus $5,082 in Dededo.

Shanghai $2,743
Dededo $5,082

Living in Shanghai costs roughly 54% less than in Dededo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shanghai is 7% below, Dededo is 102% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ¥29.70

$24.58 $24.58

-81.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.29 ¥202

$49.68 $49.68

-39.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥33.93

$16.93 $16.93

-69.94%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥22.90

$4.47 $4.47

-23.27%

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

$0.62 ¥4.14

$1.12 $1.12

-44.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ¥2.57

$1.03 $1.03

-62.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$2.83 $2.83

-56.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.77

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.34

$6.97 $6.97

-73.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥12.99

$9.23 $9.23

-78.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.65

$2.22 $2.22

-54.95%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.41

$7.03 $7.03

-75.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 ¥117

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥21.61

$18.09 $18.09

-82.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 ¥86.6

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥14.95

$7.99 $7.99

-71.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ¥11.22

$8.07 $8.07

-79.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ¥13.00

$10.17 $10.17

-80.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.57

$9.78 $9.78

-82.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.09

$6.25 $6.25

-87.84%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.14

$8.48 $8.48

-89.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$4.48 $4.48

-85.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$2.04 $2.04

-70.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 ¥24.59

$9.23 $9.23

-60.02%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 ¥72.9

$22.99 $22.99

-52.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.83

$2.44 $2.44

-64.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.84

$5.10 $5.10

-68.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.38 ¥203

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ¥13.76

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 ¥3.07

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 ¥59.0

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.84

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

$19.3K ¥128.4K

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

$18.2K ¥121.7K

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

$57.1 ¥381

$203 $203

-71.88%

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

$8.07 ¥53.8

$49.16 $49.16

-83.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.70 ¥71.3

$50.8 $50.8

-78.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 ¥431

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥115

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ¥60.3

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

$1,441 ¥9,614

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥188.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ¥357

$59.1 $59.1

-9.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.05 ¥247

$98.5 $98.5

-62.38%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥513

$102 $102

-24.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥693

$120 $120

-13.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ¥6,825

$1,635 $1,635

-37.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥3,961

$1,322 $1,322

-55.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 ¥17.1K

$3,231 $3,231

-20.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 ¥8,088

$2,003 $2,003

-39.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K ¥90.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 ¥41.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,699 ¥11.3K

$3,805 $3,805

-55.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 18, 2026

Last update for Dededo: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$594 47.3%

Dededo

–

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$238 18.9%

Dededo

–

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.7%

Dededo

–

Eating Out

Shanghai

$107 8.5%

Dededo

–

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$83 6.6%

Dededo

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6%

Dededo

–

Getting Around

Shanghai

$37 3%

Dededo

–

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,023 in Shanghai and $1,635 in Dededo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dededo pays 124% 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: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $50.0 in Dededo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $238 vs $614 per month, with Shanghai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇬🇺 Dededo

🕒 Local time

23:38 11:38 PM

01:38 1:38 AM

2 h ahead of Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

45,000

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 6.67 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.5 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Shanghai Dededo 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Shanghai
Dededo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Dededo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai wins on cost – living expenses run 118% lower than in Dededo. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Shanghai the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, salaries run 124% lower in Dededo. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,023 in Shanghai versus $1,635 in Dededo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Shanghai versus $2,734 in Dededo – a 118% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Supermarket bills run roughly 158% higher in Dededo. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,256 in Shanghai versus $2,734 in Dededo, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shanghai but tight or insufficient in Dededo. The gap between the two cities makes Shanghai 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 Dededo 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 Shanghai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 118% less than in Dededo. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.