Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Guizhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Guizhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,236 in Shanghai versus $596 in Guizhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Shanghai versus $961 in Guizhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,717 in Shanghai versus $1,326 in Guizhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 108% more expensive than in Guizhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Guizhou 57% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.52

$2.74 ¥18.38

66.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 ¥198

$20.56 ¥138

43.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.98

$5.80 ¥38.86

-7.41%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.49

$2.90 ¥19.41

10.69%

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

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.47 ¥3.11

29.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.25 ¥1.67

52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.13

$0.77 ¥5.14

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥18.15

$1.88 ¥12.59

44.15%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.83 ¥12.24

7.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$1.75 ¥11.73

5.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.96

$0.81 ¥5.41

28.40%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.49

$1.90 ¥12.73

-17.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ¥117

$7.25 ¥48.55

141.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ¥22.23

$4.75 ¥31.78

-30.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$10.90 ¥73.0

24.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.20

$2.07 ¥13.89

2.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.58 ¥10.56

12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.33

$1.55 ¥10.38

28.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.42 ¥9.51

24.65%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.44

$0.72 ¥4.82

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$0.72 ¥4.84

40.28%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.35 ¥2.36

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.44

$0.53 ¥3.57

24.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.46

$2.92 ¥19.57

30.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.0

$7.44 ¥49.81

38.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.27

$0.86 ¥5.76

9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.58

$1.16 ¥7.75

36.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$0.35 ¥2.36

68.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.87 ¥200

$26.44 ¥177

12.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.83

$1.45 ¥9.70

52.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.31 ¥2.09

51.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ¥60.0

$5.27 ¥35.28

69.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.54

$1.22 ¥8.14

4.92%

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

$19.6K ¥131.0K

$18.5K ¥123.7K

5.89%

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

$19.0K ¥127.1K

$16.0K ¥107.3K

18.43%

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

$59.3 ¥397

$29.11 ¥195

103.81%

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

$8.62 ¥57.7

$6.61 ¥44.26

30.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 ¥66.3

$5.89 ¥39.46

68.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ¥439

$22.43 ¥150

192.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 ¥110

$11.85 ¥79.3

38.82%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ¥60.9

$7.60 ¥50.9

19.61%

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

$1,439 ¥9,638

$248 ¥1,664

479.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ¥172.6K

$11.1K ¥74.0K

133.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ¥355

$33.30 ¥223

59.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.80 ¥253

$22.40 ¥150

68.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥497

$73.5 ¥492

1.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ¥720

$42.58 ¥285

152.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 ¥6,743

$268 ¥1,797

275.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,781

$135 ¥905

317.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 ¥16.1K

$381 ¥2,551

531.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 ¥8,120

$239 ¥1,604

406.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥92.5K

$1,867 ¥12.5K

639.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,147 ¥41.2K

$1,116 ¥7,475

450.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$677 ¥4,535

156.03%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.4

-1.18%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Last update for Guizhou: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,007 in Shanghai and $268 in Guizhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 156% 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: $29.00 in Shanghai vs $21.00 in Guizhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $191 per month, with Guizhou 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 Guizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Guizhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 108% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 156% higher in Shanghai, 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: $1,007 in Shanghai versus $268 in Guizhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Guizhou runs roughly 13% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,439 in Shanghai versus $248 in Guizhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $596 in Guizhou versus $1,236 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Guizhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Guizhou 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.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Guizhou are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Guizhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 108% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.