Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Handan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Handan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Shanghai vs $649 in Handan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Shanghai vs $1,023 in Handan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Shanghai vs $1,397 in Handan, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 88% more than Handan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Handan are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Handan 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.27

$1.90 ¥12.75

137.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$18.11 ¥121

61.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.27

$4.40 ¥29.46

19.55%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.31

$2.56 ¥17.16

24.22%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$0.43 ¥2.87

44.19%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.23 ¥1.55

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.75 ¥5.04

56.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.34

$1.47 ¥9.84

86.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.58 ¥10.56

20.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$0.71 ¥4.79

166.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$0.77 ¥5.18

32.47%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.90

$0.97 ¥6.50

68.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$11.72 ¥78.6

46.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.21

$3.01 ¥20.15

4.98%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$11.31 ¥75.8

16.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.51 ¥10.12

41.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$0.57 ¥3.85

217.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.93 ¥12.95

2.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.33 ¥8.89

21.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.31 ¥2.10

148.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.31 ¥2.08

190.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.57 ¥3.82

15.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.36 ¥2.40

69.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.43

$3.78 ¥25.32

0.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.5

$10.28 ¥68.9

0.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$0.66 ¥4.44

33.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.41

$1.36 ¥9.13

13.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.29 ¥1.93

103.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$17.79 ¥119

68.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.50

$0.91 ¥6.08

137.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.89

$0.31 ¥2.10

38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.6

$4.50 ¥30.14

100.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.20 ¥8.07

5.00%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$19.6K ¥131.0K

-0.51%

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

$18.7K ¥125.3K

$14.9K ¥99.6K

25.80%

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

$57.5 ¥386

$71.1 ¥476

-19.05%

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

$8.41 ¥56.4

$4.55 ¥30.52

84.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$5.00 ¥33.51

101.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$40.83 ¥274

59.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$16.24 ¥109

6.47%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$4.53 ¥30.36

98.23%

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

$1,411 ¥9,455

$215 ¥1,441

555.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.2K

$19.8K ¥132.9K

42.31%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$29.39 ¥197

76.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥251

$41.71 ¥279

-10.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥494

$44.20 ¥296

66.67%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$70.1 ¥469

49.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,577

$328 ¥2,199

199.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,787

$170 ¥1,138

232.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$663 ¥4,445

264.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,810

$346 ¥2,321

236.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,848 ¥19.1K

380.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$2,077 ¥13.9K

194.54%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$644 ¥4,314

170.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

12.67%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Handan: September 15, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Shanghai versus $328 in Handan. 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 171% 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 $29.00 in Shanghai versus $18.00 in Handan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $174 – making Handan 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 Handan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 88%, 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 $1,829 per month in Shanghai and $974 in Handan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Handan, 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 $29.00 in Shanghai and $18.00 in Handan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,219 in Shanghai and $649 in Handan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Handan, where all-in costs run around $649, than in Shanghai at $1,219. In Handan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Handan – 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 Handan. 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.