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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $669 in Guilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,081 in Guilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $1,493 in Guilin, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 81% more than Guilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Guilin are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Guilin 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.17

$4.14 ¥27.98

18.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$18.72 ¥127

93.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.83

$3.42 ¥23.15

63.45%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.03

$2.72 ¥18.38

30.51%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.69 ¥4.69

-17.39%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.82

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$1.02 ¥6.91

40.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.25

$2.04 ¥13.82

39.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.60

$1.37 ¥9.27

57.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.43 ¥9.68

24.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.63 ¥4.25

74.60%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.44

$1.69 ¥11.43

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$12.92 ¥87.4

18.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.12

$3.19 ¥21.58

-2.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.8

$8.14 ¥55.0

32.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.29

$1.77 ¥11.98

27.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.22 ¥8.24

36.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.37 ¥9.27

31.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.08 ¥7.31

41.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.72 ¥4.89

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.96 ¥6.51

15.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.59 ¥4.01

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.94 ¥6.37

-40.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.19

$3.11 ¥21.04

-8.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$11.42 ¥77.2

1.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.87 ¥5.92

-9.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.59 ¥10.78

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.81

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.49 ¥112

108.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.92

$0.93 ¥6.29

137.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.31 ¥2.08

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.74 ¥45.57

24.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.13 ¥7.62

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥132.2K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

1.82%

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

$18.1K ¥122.8K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

7.36%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$27.83 ¥188

89.76%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$4.97 ¥33.63

71.63%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$11.52 ¥77.9

20.14%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$42.22 ¥286

11.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.74 ¥92.9

44.18%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$4.08 ¥27.57

107.35%

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

$1,303 ¥8,813

$340 ¥2,298

283.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.6K

$17.0K ¥115.1K

85.58%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$43.10 ¥292

38.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$30.82 ¥209

23.59%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$72.7 ¥492

8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$74.1 ¥501

33.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,309

$279 ¥1,886

234.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,856

$191 ¥1,290

198.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$582 ¥3,936

327.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,066

$355 ¥2,399

236.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$1,329 ¥8,988

952.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,715 ¥11.6K

292.40%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$479 ¥3,240

252.60%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Guilin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $279 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 253% 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: $225 vs $192 – 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 81%, 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 $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $1,003 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 $1,209 in Shanghai and $669 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 $669, than in Shanghai at $1,209. 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.