Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Guilin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Guilin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,192 per month in Shanghai vs $682 in Guilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Shanghai vs $1,074 in Guilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,724 per month in Shanghai vs $1,466 in Guilin, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 75% more than Guilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Guilin are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Guilin 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$4.06 ¥27.45

16.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$18.54 ¥125

93.74%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$3.47 ¥23.43

65.42%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$2.71 ¥18.34

29.89%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.75 ¥5.05

-24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.27 ¥1.80

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$1.01 ¥6.85

34.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.15 ¥14.52

32.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.42 ¥9.59

47.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.36 ¥9.21

32.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.58 ¥3.94

81.03%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.72 ¥11.59

-2.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$12.77 ¥86.3

23.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.19 ¥21.58

-0.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$8.31 ¥56.2

32.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.79 ¥12.08

32.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.22 ¥8.24

38.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.40 ¥9.48

27.14%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.13 ¥7.63

28.32%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.68 ¥4.59

22.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.92 ¥6.20

22.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.60 ¥4.06

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.95 ¥6.40

-36.84%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.09 ¥20.90

-8.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$10.55 ¥71.3

11.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.90 ¥6.07

-13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.60 ¥10.81

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$16.85 ¥114

108.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$0.96 ¥6.47

135.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.31 ¥2.06

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$6.79 ¥45.88

20.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.13 ¥7.61

1.77%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$19.5K ¥131.9K

-1.16%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$16.7K ¥112.7K

6.31%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$27.90 ¥189

90.04%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$4.73 ¥31.94

85.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.51 ¥77.8

19.72%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$41.41 ¥280

9.68%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$14.07 ¥95.1

42.15%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$4.11 ¥27.79

101.95%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$338 ¥2,281

274.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$17.1K ¥115.3K

85.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$43.66 ¥295

32.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$30.31 ¥205

25.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$72.3 ¥488

6.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$75.5 ¥510

28.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$275 ¥1,858

247.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$191 ¥1,288

191.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$593 ¥4,009

320.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$359 ¥2,426

236.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$1,338 ¥9,039

968.44%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,856 ¥12.5K

257.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$487 ¥3,291

249.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.87

-7.49%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Guilin: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $955 in Shanghai versus $275 in Guilin. 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 249% 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $19.00 in Guilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $190 – making Guilin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Guilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 75%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,788 per month in Shanghai and $1,023 in Guilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai and $19.00 in Guilin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,192 in Shanghai and $682 in Guilin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guilin, where all-in costs run around $682, than in Shanghai at $1,192. In Guilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guilin – 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 Guilin. 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.