Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Dongying Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Dongying

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $706 in Dongying.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,122 in Dongying.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,538 in Dongying.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 69% more expensive than in Dongying, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Dongying 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$2.85 ¥19.23

65.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$21.85 ¥148

64.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$5.01 ¥33.87

14.57%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$3.05 ¥20.62

15.41%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.43 ¥2.90

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.27 ¥1.81

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.87 ¥5.85

56.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.07 ¥14.01

37.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.79 ¥12.07

17.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.54 ¥10.42

16.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.91 ¥6.13

15.38%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.61 ¥10.89

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$12.81 ¥86.6

23.19%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.22 ¥21.74

-1.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$10.09 ¥68.2

9.22%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.88 ¥12.68

26.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.24 ¥8.40

36.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.49 ¥10.08

19.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.15 ¥7.77

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.70 ¥4.70

18.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.88 ¥5.98

28.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.60 ¥4.04

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.55 ¥3.69

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.09 ¥20.91

-8.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$10.73 ¥72.5

9.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.74 ¥5.00

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.59 ¥10.74

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$16.77 ¥113

109.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.42 ¥9.60

59.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.35 ¥2.39

5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$6.61 ¥44.67

23.75%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.16 ¥7.85

-0.86%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$19.3K ¥130.6K

-0.22%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$17.1K ¥115.6K

3.60%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$44.63 ¥302

18.80%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$9.59 ¥64.8

-8.55%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.62 ¥78.5

18.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$41.00 ¥277

10.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$14.13 ¥95.5

41.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$6.05 ¥40.87

37.19%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$329 ¥2,226

283.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$17.1K ¥115.9K

84.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$44.07 ¥298

30.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$30.66 ¥207

23.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$72.4 ¥489

6.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$72.5 ¥490

33.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$280 ¥1,895

240.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$196 ¥1,327

182.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$583 ¥3,941

328.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$362 ¥2,444

233.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$3,032 ¥20.5K

371.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$2,024 ¥13.7K

227.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Dongying: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $280 in Dongying. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $22.00 in Dongying for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $198 per month, with Dongying 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 Dongying: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dongying is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,788 in Shanghai and $1,059 in Dongying 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $280 in Dongying. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $329 in Dongying. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $706 in Dongying versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dongying but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Dongying 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 Dongying gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.