Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Fuzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Fuzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $791 in Fuzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,278 in Fuzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,766 in Fuzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 53% more expensive than Fuzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Fuzhou 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$2.78 ¥18.79

76.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$22.62 ¥153

60.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$5.37 ¥36.29

4.10%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$2.86 ¥19.31

24.13%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.40 ¥2.74

42.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.25 ¥1.69

44.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$0.83 ¥5.61

72.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$1.71 ¥11.57

66.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$1.88 ¥12.70

14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.27 ¥8.57

40.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.80 ¥5.42

37.50%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$1.33 ¥8.99

27.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$11.61 ¥78.5

31.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$4.97 ¥33.59

-37.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$13.03 ¥88.1

-17.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$2.21 ¥14.96

2.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.32 ¥8.94

26.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$1.82 ¥12.32

-1.10%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.23 ¥8.31

24.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.67 ¥4.54

20.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$1.05 ¥7.13

5.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.59 ¥3.96

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.48 ¥3.21

16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$2.75 ¥18.59

3.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$11.20 ¥75.8

3.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.75 ¥5.08

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.00 ¥6.74

64.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.27 ¥1.80

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$41.41 ¥280

-16.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$1.37 ¥9.27

61.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.28 ¥1.92

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$6.83 ¥46.20

22.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.14 ¥7.70

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$21.1K ¥143.0K

-7.59%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$17.4K ¥117.6K

4.38%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$38.75 ¥262

36.28%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$9.73 ¥65.8

-12.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$7.45 ¥50.4

85.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$45.08 ¥305

4.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$14.13 ¥95.5

40.20%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$6.80 ¥45.97

24.41%

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$227 ¥1,533

474.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$9,287 ¥62.8K

239.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$54.7 ¥370

8.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$27.46 ¥186

38.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$80.2 ¥542

-1.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$89.2 ¥603

11.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$354 ¥2,391

163.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$224 ¥1,515

154.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$825 ¥5,577

201.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$416 ¥2,814

186.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$4,592 ¥31.1K

204.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$2,335 ¥15.8K

188.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$972 ¥6,573

73.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.56

0.56%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Fuzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $354 in Fuzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 74% 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: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $23.00 in Fuzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $211 per month, with Fuzhou 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 Fuzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuzhou wins on cost – living expenses run 53% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fuzhou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Shanghai pays 74% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $933 in Shanghai versus $354 in Fuzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fuzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $791 in Fuzhou – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $791 in Fuzhou versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fuzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Fuzhou 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 Fuzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 53% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.