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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Shanghai vs $663 in Guilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Shanghai vs $1,056 in Guilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Shanghai vs $1,450 in Guilin, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 88% more than Guilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Guilin are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Guilin 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.17 ¥14.54

100.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$15.09 ¥101

97.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$2.91 ¥19.53

74.23%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.07 ¥13.87

63.29%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.42 ¥2.82

40.48%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.31 ¥2.10

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.83 ¥5.58

39.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.03 ¥13.62

17.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.51 ¥10.12

37.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.22 ¥8.20

61.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.65 ¥4.37

49.23%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.74 ¥11.65

-3.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$12.94 ¥86.9

30.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.33 ¥22.37

1.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$11.00 ¥73.8

19.55%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.53 ¥10.25

51.63%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.22 ¥8.20

43.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.02 ¥6.84

96.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$0.85 ¥5.68

105.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.71 ¥4.79

15.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.88 ¥5.91

13.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.53 ¥3.54

22.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.43 ¥2.87

51.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.80 ¥25.49

16.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$11.51 ¥77.2

-2.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.78 ¥5.26

20.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.49 ¥9.97

4.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.31 ¥2.09

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$19.08 ¥128

54.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.32 ¥8.83

69.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.91

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$7.81 ¥52.4

12.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.21 ¥8.14

3.31%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.1K ¥127.9K

3.23%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$17.3K ¥116.1K

5.41%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$24.53 ¥165

151.16%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$4.88 ¥32.72

73.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$11.32 ¥76.0

-8.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$41.04 ¥275

69.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$16.16 ¥108

1.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.31 ¥35.64

66.48%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$442 ¥2,968

212.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$17.7K ¥118.6K

52.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$43.40 ¥291

19.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$33.67 ¥226

12.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$73.2 ¥491

2.42%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$73.0 ¥489

44.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$295 ¥1,982

233.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$183 ¥1,227

212.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$597 ¥4,006

313.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$375 ¥2,514

219.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$1,348 ¥9,042

913.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,945 ¥13.1K

216.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$479 ¥3,213

262.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.38

-0.89%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Guilin: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Shanghai versus $295 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 262% 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 $15.00 in Guilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 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 88%, 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 $1,871 per month in Shanghai and $995 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 $30.00 in Shanghai and $15.00 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 $1,247 in Shanghai and $663 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 $663, than in Shanghai at $1,247. 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.