Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Hefei Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Hefei

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $739 in Hefei.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,183 in Hefei.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,628 in Hefei.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 61% more expensive than in Hefei, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Hefei 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$3.52 ¥23.81

34.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$16.46 ¥111

118.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$4.21 ¥28.46

36.34%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$2.29 ¥15.48

53.71%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.47 ¥3.15

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.23 ¥1.55

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.80 ¥5.42

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.06 ¥13.93

37.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.59 ¥10.77

32.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.59 ¥10.75

13.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$1.16 ¥7.81

-9.48%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.84 ¥12.46

-8.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$8.40 ¥56.7

87.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$4.22 ¥28.50

-24.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$9.94 ¥67.2

10.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.80 ¥12.16

32.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$0.87 ¥5.89

94.25%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.21 ¥8.15

47.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$0.84 ¥5.69

72.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.64 ¥4.30

29.69%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.45 ¥3.07

151.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.49 ¥3.32

38.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.55 ¥3.72

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$2.81 ¥18.96

0.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$9.42 ¥63.7

24.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.67 ¥4.56

16.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.63 ¥11.01

-3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.34 ¥2.29

20.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$42.13 ¥285

-16.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.30 ¥8.78

73.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.28 ¥1.91

32.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$2.50 ¥16.89

227.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.19 ¥8.07

-3.36%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$19.0K ¥128.4K

1.49%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$19.2K ¥129.9K

-7.79%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$42.35 ¥286

25.19%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$13.07 ¥88.3

-32.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$13.85 ¥93.6

-0.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$82.3 ¥556

-44.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$12.15 ¥82.1

64.61%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$6.06 ¥40.98

36.96%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$256 ¥1,728

394.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$9,030 ¥61.0K

250.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$57.0 ¥385

1.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$30.43 ¥206

24.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$61.5 ¥415

25.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$72.1 ¥487

34.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$230 ¥1,556

314.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$180 ¥1,218

207.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$481 ¥3,252

418.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$359 ¥2,427

236.02%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$3,584 ¥24.2K

298.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,955 ¥13.2K

238.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$998 ¥6,741

70.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.37

-18.08%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Hefei: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $230 in Hefei. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 71% 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 $16.00 in Hefei for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $180 per month, with Hefei 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 Hefei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hefei wins on cost – living expenses run 61% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Hefei the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 71% 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 $230 in Hefei. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Hefei – a meal for two runs $16.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Shanghai versus $739 in Hefei – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $739 in Hefei versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Hefei but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Hefei 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 Hefei gentler on the wallet – expenses run 61% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.