Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Heyuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Heyuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Shanghai vs $795 in Heyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Shanghai vs $1,282 in Heyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Shanghai vs $1,769 in Heyuan, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 57% more than Heyuan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Shanghai and Heyuan are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Heyuan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.25

$2.95 ¥19.77

47.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$29.63 ¥199

0.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.99

$5.36 ¥35.89

-5.41%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.68

$3.29 ¥22.08

2.74%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.58 ¥3.89

1.72%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.35 ¥2.35

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.75

$1.48 ¥9.91

-21.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.93

$2.69 ¥18.04

-11.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.87

$1.89 ¥12.65

9.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.20

$2.05 ¥13.77

-3.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.48

$1.09 ¥7.29

-11.01%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.23

$1.48 ¥9.91

13.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$16.42 ¥110

2.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.69

$5.24 ¥35.11

-35.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.1

$12.11 ¥81.2

8.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.57

$2.24 ¥15.00

3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.71

$1.17 ¥7.85

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.41

$1.55 ¥10.39

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.74

$1.79 ¥12.02

-2.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.99 ¥6.60

-17.17%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$1.21 ¥8.12

-17.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$0.85 ¥5.72

-23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$0.71 ¥4.76

-8.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.55

$3.65 ¥24.49

20.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥74.9

$12.42 ¥83.2

-10.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$1.12 ¥7.51

-16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.47

$2.04 ¥13.70

-23.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$0.32 ¥2.17

81.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$19.22 ¥129

53.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$1.77 ¥11.83

26.55%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.41 ¥2.75

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$7.01 ¥46.95

25.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.40

$1.28 ¥8.60

-2.34%

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

$19.7K ¥131.9K

$19.4K ¥130.2K

1.31%

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

$18.2K ¥122.2K

$19.1K ¥128.3K

-4.75%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$59.3 ¥398

3.83%

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

$8.45 ¥56.6

$15.54 ¥104

-45.62%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.8

$13.98 ¥93.7

-25.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$36.64 ¥246

90.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$16.67 ¥112

-1.74%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.2

$6.43 ¥43.09

37.48%

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

$1,383 ¥9,267

$424 ¥2,842

226.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥180.8K

$25.8K ¥173.2K

4.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥347

$51.7 ¥346

0.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$39.70 ¥266

-4.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥502

$80.9 ¥542

-7.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥706

$76.1 ¥510

38.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,600

$295 ¥1,976

234.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,833

$195 ¥1,307

193.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.5K

$604 ¥4,046

309.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,023

$325 ¥2,181

267.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.5K

$3,297 ¥22.1K

314.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.2K

$1,847 ¥12.4K

232.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$1,313 ¥8,802

31.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.45

-2.90%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Heyuan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Shanghai versus $295 in Heyuan. 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 32% 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 $30.00 in Shanghai versus $30.00 in Heyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $247 – making Shanghai 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 Heyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai, $795 in Heyuan – roughly 57% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,871 per month in Shanghai and $1,192 in Heyuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Heyuan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Shanghai – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shanghai and $30.00 in Heyuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Heyuan, where all-in costs run around $795, than in Shanghai at $1,247. In Heyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Heyuan – 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 Heyuan. 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.