Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Haikou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Haikou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $786 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,196 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,605 in Haikou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 52% more expensive than in Haikou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Haikou 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.97

$2.55 ¥17.26

85.10%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$24.04 ¥163

49.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.81

$5.31 ¥35.95

8.10%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.80

$2.95 ¥19.94

19.32%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.45 ¥3.06

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.30 ¥2.06

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.20

$1.40 ¥9.49

-2.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$3.63 ¥24.55

-21.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.20

$1.77 ¥12.00

18.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$1.42 ¥9.61

26.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.13

$0.88 ¥5.93

19.32%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.35

$1.85 ¥12.55

-9.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$12.90 ¥87.3

22.33%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$5.47 ¥37.00

-42.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.6

$15.10 ¥102

-27.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.08

$0.86 ¥5.79

176.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.47

$0.89 ¥6.05

89.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$0.40 ¥2.72

345.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.83

$0.95 ¥6.40

52.63%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.70 ¥4.76

18.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$0.68 ¥4.62

66.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.57

$0.27 ¥1.81

151.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.52 ¥3.53

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$2.90 ¥19.65

-2.76%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.5

$11.69 ¥79.2

0.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.28

$0.79 ¥5.35

-1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.64

$1.57 ¥10.65

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.83

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$16.76 ¥113

109.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$2.73 ¥18.47

-17.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.33 ¥2.20

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.4

$6.73 ¥45.58

21.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$1.16 ¥7.87

-0.86%

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

$19.3K ¥130.5K

$20.3K ¥137.7K

-5.21%

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

$17.7K ¥120.0K

$16.7K ¥112.9K

6.28%

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

$53.0 ¥359

$34.12 ¥231

55.39%

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

$8.77 ¥59.4

$13.71 ¥92.8

-36.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.3

$8.57 ¥58.0

60.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$32.90 ¥223

38.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$5.79 ¥39.21

245.42%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.2

$5.41 ¥36.64

53.42%

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

$1,264 ¥8,555

$340 ¥2,304

271.28%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.3K

$28.4K ¥192.2K

11.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$41.66 ¥282

38.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥257

$41.90 ¥284

-9.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥521

$42.49 ¥288

81.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥655

$35.08 ¥237

175.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,466

$352 ¥2,383

171.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,755

$282 ¥1,906

96.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$540 ¥3,655

362.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,166

$469 ¥3,173

157.38%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.7K

$3,108 ¥21.0K

359.86%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$2,120 ¥14.3K

212.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$719 ¥4,868

136.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.85

-26.19%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Haikou: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $352 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 137% 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: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $24.00 in Haikou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $211 per month, with Haikou 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 Haikou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Haikou differ by about 52% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $786 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 137% 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $352 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Shanghai versus $786 in Haikou – a 52% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 109% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $786 in Haikou versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Haikou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Haikou 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.

Expats usually find Haikou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 52% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.