Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Hanzhong Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Hanzhong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $675 in Hanzhong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,059 in Hanzhong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,444 in Hanzhong.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 77% more expensive than in Hanzhong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Hanzhong 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.96

$2.84 ¥19.23

66.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$18.08 ¥122

98.67%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.80

$5.34 ¥36.16

7.49%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.79

$3.12 ¥21.09

12.82%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.36 ¥2.45

58.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.22 ¥1.49

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.19

$1.14 ¥7.73

19.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$1.72 ¥11.62

65.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.19

$1.57 ¥10.65

33.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$1.54 ¥10.44

16.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.13

$0.81 ¥5.48

29.63%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.35

$1.60 ¥10.82

5.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$7.12 ¥48.15

121.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.42

$2.07 ¥13.99

53.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.6

$9.14 ¥61.9

20.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.07

$1.66 ¥11.21

43.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.46

$1.14 ¥7.73

48.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$1.32 ¥8.96

34.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.83

$0.75 ¥5.08

93.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.71 ¥4.78

16.90%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.63

$0.56 ¥3.82

101.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.57

$0.51 ¥3.42

33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.53 ¥3.55

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.05

$2.83 ¥19.17

-0.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.76 ¥79.6

$7.17 ¥48.49

64.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.28

$0.78 ¥5.29

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.63

$1.76 ¥11.93

-10.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.81

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$16.95 ¥115

106.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.33 ¥9.02

69.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.33 ¥2.23

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.4

$4.09 ¥27.66

100.00%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$1.15 ¥7.79

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

$19.3K ¥130.5K

$20.6K ¥139.6K

-6.55%

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

$17.7K ¥119.9K

$16.4K ¥111.1K

7.93%

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

$53.0 ¥359

$38.55 ¥261

37.54%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$5.70 ¥38.54

53.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.2

$11.89 ¥80.4

15.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$41.84 ¥283

8.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$13.99 ¥94.6

42.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$4.83 ¥32.70

71.84%

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

$1,264 ¥8,552

$328 ¥2,221

285.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.2K

$18.0K ¥121.5K

76.35%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$53.9 ¥365

7.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥257

$37.14 ¥251

2.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥521

$69.3 ¥469

11.05%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$72.1 ¥488

34.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,464

$283 ¥1,914

237.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,753

$188 ¥1,273

194.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$596 ¥4,031

319.14%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,163

$364 ¥2,463

231.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,639 ¥44.9K

$3,640 ¥24.6K

82.37%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,705 ¥11.5K

$588 ¥3,976

190.11%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.1

15.48%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Hanzhong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $283 in Hanzhong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 190% 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 $18.00 in Hanzhong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $157 per month, with Hanzhong 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 Hanzhong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hanzhong wins on cost – living expenses run 77% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hanzhong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 190% 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 $283 in Hanzhong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $328 in Hanzhong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 45% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $675 in Hanzhong versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hanzhong but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Hanzhong 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 Hanzhong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 77% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.