Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Gongzhuling

For one person, living is cheaper in Gongzhuling: $591 a month against $1,244 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $7,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
29

Cost of Living Index in Gongzhuling
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Gongzhuling Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Gongzhuling

🇨🇳 China

$591

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Gongzhuling

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 Gongzhuling actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,244 per month in Shanghai vs $591 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

Shanghai $1,244
Gongzhuling $591

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Shanghai vs $946 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

Shanghai $1,999
Gongzhuling $946

A family of three spends $2,755 per month in Shanghai vs $1,300 in Gongzhuling, rent included.

Shanghai $2,755
Gongzhuling $1,300

Shanghai costs about 110% more than Gongzhuling, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Shanghai and Gongzhuling are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 8% lower, Gongzhuling 56% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.47

$2.10 ¥14.06

117.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$16.39 ¥110

84.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.13

$4.60 ¥30.75

14.13%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.94

$1.98 ¥13.24

65.66%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.43 ¥2.91

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.23 ¥1.54

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$0.72 ¥4.84

70.83%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.18

$1.61 ¥10.75

40.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.30

$1.31 ¥8.74

40.46%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.08

$2.18 ¥14.60

-10.09%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$1.08 ¥7.22

-4.63%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.16

$1.03 ¥6.86

62.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$7.44 ¥49.77

127.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.33

$3.66 ¥24.45

-12.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.3

$9.21 ¥61.6

40.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$0.59 ¥3.93

279.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.13

$0.65 ¥4.34

155.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$0.54 ¥3.60

274.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.08

$0.43 ¥2.88

286.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$0.46 ¥3.10

67.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.54 ¥3.59

72.22%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.43 ¥2.88

46.51%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$0.58 ¥3.85

3.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.44

$3.68 ¥24.63

3.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.7

$10.47 ¥70.0

3.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.51

$0.64 ¥4.27

28.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.14 ¥7.60

41.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$0.31 ¥2.10

96.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

$17.64 ¥118

66.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.11

$1.15 ¥7.67

83.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$0.35 ¥2.37

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$2.63 ¥17.56

244.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.89

$1.25 ¥8.35

6.40%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.1K ¥127.6K

-0.29%

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

$18.7K ¥125.1K

$16.4K ¥109.8K

13.96%

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

$57.8 ¥387

$28.49 ¥190

102.91%

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

$8.09 ¥54.1

$5.81 ¥38.84

39.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥70.0

$10.41 ¥69.6

0.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$42.01 ¥281

56.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$15.34 ¥103

16.17%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.9

$5.12 ¥34.25

74.80%

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

$1,414 ¥9,451

$400 ¥2,673

253.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.2K

$11.5K ¥76.7K

142.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥361

$16.10 ¥108

235.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$22.24 ¥149

66.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$59.3 ¥397

25.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥706

$44.86 ¥300

135.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,056

$300 ¥2,009

251.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,910

$184 ¥1,233

217.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$637 ¥4,261

289.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,240

$375 ¥2,505

228.96%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.1K

$3,488 ¥23.3K

299.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.8K

$1,926 ¥12.9K

224.59%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

$341 ¥2,280

401.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.5

-4.00%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Gongzhuling: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Gongzhuling

$184 31.2% 68.5% $400

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Gongzhuling

$160 27.1% 31.8% $75

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Gongzhuling

$64 10.8% 47.4% $58

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Gongzhuling

$64 10.8% 39.8% $42

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Gongzhuling

$52 8.8% 37.5% $31

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Gongzhuling

$45 7.6% 41.5% $32

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Gongzhuling

$22 3.7% 39.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Shanghai versus $300 in Gongzhuling. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 402% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shanghai versus $16.00 in Gongzhuling. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $160 – making Gongzhuling the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇨🇳 Gongzhuling

🕒 Local time

16:41 4:41 PM

Same time as Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

862,313

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Shanghai Gongzhuling 1,420 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

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City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

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Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Shanghai vs Gongzhuling: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 110%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,865 per month in Shanghai and $887 in Gongzhuling. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Gongzhuling, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Kindergarten costs $1,414 per month in Shanghai and $400 in Gongzhuling. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 47% more in Shanghai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Gongzhuling, where all-in costs run around $591, than in Shanghai at $1,244. In Gongzhuling it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Gongzhuling – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Gongzhuling. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.