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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $665 in Hanzhong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,060 in Hanzhong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,455 in Hanzhong.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 82% more expensive than Hanzhong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Hanzhong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.18

$2.78 ¥18.79

76.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$17.86 ¥121

103.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.84

$5.42 ¥36.67

3.14%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.03

$3.28 ¥22.16

8.23%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.40 ¥2.67

42.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.22 ¥1.48

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$1.08 ¥7.32

32.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.25

$1.75 ¥11.85

62.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.60

$1.49 ¥10.08

44.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.54 ¥10.45

15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.87 ¥5.87

26.44%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.44

$1.60 ¥10.82

5.62%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$7.08 ¥47.91

116.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.13

$1.96 ¥13.23

59.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.8

$9.09 ¥61.5

18.37%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.29

$1.64 ¥11.07

37.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.14 ¥7.68

46.49%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.30 ¥8.78

38.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$0.77 ¥5.19

98.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.69 ¥4.70

17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.56 ¥3.78

98.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.55 ¥3.75

23.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$2.74 ¥18.51

3.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$7.31 ¥49.46

58.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.78 ¥5.25

1.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.69 ¥11.45

-2.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.80

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.94 ¥115

103.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.92

$1.39 ¥9.43

58.99%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.36 ¥2.41

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$4.13 ¥27.91

102.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.17 ¥7.92

-2.56%

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

$19.5K ¥132.2K

$21.1K ¥142.9K

-7.49%

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

$18.1K ¥122.8K

$16.1K ¥108.9K

12.79%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$37.89 ¥256

39.38%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$5.50 ¥37.23

55.09%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$11.91 ¥80.6

16.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$42.07 ¥285

11.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.86 ¥93.8

42.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$4.92 ¥33.27

71.95%

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

$1,303 ¥8,814

$332 ¥2,247

292.24%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.6K

$18.4K ¥124.2K

71.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$55.4 ¥375

7.58%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$37.51 ¥254

1.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$68.0 ¥460

15.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$71.4 ¥483

39.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,310

$276 ¥1,865

238.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,857

$189 ¥1,279

201.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$586 ¥3,965

324.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,067

$363 ¥2,455

228.60%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$3,091 ¥20.9K

352.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,769 ¥12.0K

280.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$578 ¥3,913

192.00%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hanzhong: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $276 in Hanzhong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 192% 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 $225 vs $156 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 82% 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.

Shanghai pays 192% 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 $276 in Hanzhong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $332 in Hanzhong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 44% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $665 in Hanzhong versus $1,209 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 82% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.