Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Huai'an Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Huai'an

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $723 in Huai'an, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,139 in Huai'an, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $1,554 in Huai'an, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 67% more than Huai'an, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Huai'an are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Huai'an 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$2.75 ¥18.62

78.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$21.43 ¥145

69.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$4.90 ¥33.22

14.08%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.09 ¥20.95

14.89%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.46 ¥3.12

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.83

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$0.95 ¥6.40

50.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.03 ¥13.77

40.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.82 ¥12.32

18.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.56 ¥10.55

14.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.89 ¥6.04

23.60%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.59 ¥10.76

6.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$12.88 ¥87.3

18.79%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.13 ¥21.21

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$10.11 ¥68.5

6.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.85 ¥12.56

22.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.20 ¥8.10

39.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.49 ¥10.12

20.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.09 ¥7.36

40.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.69 ¥4.71

17.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.97 ¥6.59

14.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.60 ¥4.08

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.52 ¥3.50

7.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.07 ¥20.81

-7.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$10.63 ¥72.0

9.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.74 ¥5.00

6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.60 ¥10.84

2.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.81

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.58 ¥112

107.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.41 ¥9.57

56.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.35 ¥2.38

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.63 ¥44.87

26.40%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.18 ¥8.01

-3.39%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$19.3K ¥130.7K

1.29%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$16.9K ¥114.6K

7.29%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$44.68 ¥303

18.20%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$9.71 ¥65.7

-12.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$11.86 ¥80.3

16.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$42.28 ¥286

11.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$14.17 ¥96.0

39.80%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$5.93 ¥40.17

42.66%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$328 ¥2,219

297.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$16.7K ¥113.3K

88.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$43.42 ¥294

37.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$30.77 ¥208

23.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$72.4 ¥490

8.90%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$71.7 ¥485

38.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$283 ¥1,918

229.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$195 ¥1,323

191.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$597 ¥4,044

316.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$362 ¥2,454

229.00%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$3,008 ¥20.4K

365.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$2,011 ¥13.6K

234.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.89

-7.97%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Huai'an: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $283 in Huai'an. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai versus $21.00 in Huai'an. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $197 – making Huai'an 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 Huai'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 67%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $1,085 in Huai'an. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 14% more in Shanghai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai and $21.00 in Huai'an. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Huai'an, where all-in costs run around $723, than in Shanghai at $1,209. In Huai'an it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Huai'an – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Huai'an. 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.