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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $785 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,194 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,603 in Haikou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 54% more expensive than Haikou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Haikou 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$2.44 ¥16.51

100.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$24.58 ¥166

47.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$5.06 ¥34.24

10.47%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$3.06 ¥20.71

16.01%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.46 ¥3.08

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.33 ¥2.26

9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$1.36 ¥9.22

5.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$3.72 ¥25.18

-23.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$1.79 ¥12.07

20.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.37 ¥9.25

29.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.82 ¥5.54

34.15%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$1.86 ¥12.60

-9.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$12.66 ¥85.6

20.85%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$5.70 ¥38.57

-45.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$15.45 ¥104

-30.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$0.81 ¥5.48

179.01%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$0.93 ¥6.26

79.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$0.43 ¥2.91

318.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$0.93 ¥6.29

64.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.78 ¥5.25

3.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.71 ¥4.83

56.34%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.29 ¥1.96

134.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.52 ¥3.53

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$3.00 ¥20.27

-5.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$11.39 ¥77.0

1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.80 ¥5.42

-1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.65 ¥11.17

-0.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.29 ¥1.96

48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.58 ¥112

107.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$2.87 ¥19.40

-23.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.36 ¥2.41

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$6.53 ¥44.17

28.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.13 ¥7.61

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$20.4K ¥138.2K

-4.38%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$16.2K ¥109.4K

12.21%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$33.79 ¥228

56.29%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$13.85 ¥93.6

-38.41%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$8.11 ¥54.9

70.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$32.15 ¥217

46.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$5.80 ¥39.25

241.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$5.46 ¥36.92

54.95%

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$333 ¥2,251

291.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$27.9K ¥188.6K

13.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$41.58 ¥281

43.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$41.71 ¥282

-8.68%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$42.57 ¥288

85.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$34.35 ¥232

188.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$343 ¥2,320

171.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$274 ¥1,855

107.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$533 ¥3,602

367.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$472 ¥3,191

152.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$3,212 ¥21.7K

335.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$2,147 ¥14.5K

213.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$717 ¥4,851

135.40%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Haikou: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $343 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 135% 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 $25.00 in Haikou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $212 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 54% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $785 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 135% more on average, 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $343 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $785 in Haikou – a 54% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 108% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $785 in Haikou versus $1,209 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 54% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.