Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Hagatna

For one person, living is cheaper in Shanghai: $1,244 a month against $2,740 in Hagatna, rent and utilities included – about $18,000 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Hagatna outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Hagatna

🇬🇺 Guam

$2,740

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Hagatna

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

A single person spends $1,244 per month in Shanghai vs $2,740 in Hagatna, rent included.

Shanghai $1,244
Hagatna $2,740

A couple spends around $1,999 per month in Shanghai vs $2,939 in Hagatna, rent included.

Shanghai $1,999
Hagatna $2,939

A family of three spends $2,755 per month in Shanghai vs $3,138 in Hagatna, rent included.

Shanghai $2,755
Hagatna $3,138

Shanghai is about 55% cheaper than Hagatna, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Shanghai sits 8% below the global median, while Hagatna is 103% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.43

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.08

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.91

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.38

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.16

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.28

$3.85 $3.85

-52.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.06

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.86

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.15

$9.46 $9.46

-82.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.30

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.1

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥14.98

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.12

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.52

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.07

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.20

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.18

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.40

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.6

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.50

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.75

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥196

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.09

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.86

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.88

$1.32 $1.32

0.76%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

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

$18.7K ¥124.9K

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

$57.8 ¥386

$345 $345

-83.24%

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

$8.09 ¥54.0

$60.5 $60.5

-86.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥69.9

$59.6 $59.6

-82.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.8

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

$1,414 ¥9,438

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥360

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥705

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,046

$2,178 $2,178

-51.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,904

$2,198 $2,198

-73.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$2,423 $2,423

2.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,228

$2,402 $2,402

-48.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.0K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

$6,807 $6,807

-74.87%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Hagatna: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Hagatna

–

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Hagatna

–

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Hagatna

–

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Hagatna

–

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Hagatna

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Hagatna

–

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Hagatna

–

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,055 in Shanghai versus $2,178 in Hagatna. 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 298% higher in Hagatna, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇬🇺 Hagatna

🕒 Local time

00:42 12:42 AM

02:42 2:42 AM

2 h ahead of Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

1,100 Capital

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 USD = 0.889 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.51 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.889 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Shanghai Hagatna 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Shanghai
Hagatna

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Hagatna: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hagatna costs about 120% more than Shanghai, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from groceries. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,865 per month in Shanghai and $4,110 in Hagatna. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,244 in Shanghai and $2,740 in Hagatna. That's a gap of about 120%.

Interestingly, groceries are about 207% cheaper in Hagatna – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Shanghai, where all-in costs run around $1,244, than in Hagatna at $2,740. In Shanghai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hagatna it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

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