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 $1,247 per month in Shanghai vs $729 in Huai'an, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Shanghai vs $1,127 in Huai'an, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Shanghai vs $1,526 in Huai'an, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 71% more than Huai'an, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Huai'an are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Huai'an 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.83 ¥19.01

54.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$21.93 ¥147

36.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.81 ¥32.28

5.41%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$3.06 ¥20.50

10.46%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.44 ¥2.93

34.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.27 ¥1.80

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.93 ¥6.24

24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.04 ¥13.66

16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.84 ¥12.35

12.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.56 ¥10.44

26.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.91 ¥6.12

6.59%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.59 ¥10.65

5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$12.98 ¥87.1

30.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.13 ¥20.98

8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.02 ¥67.2

31.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.79 ¥12.00

29.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.24 ¥8.35

41.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.47 ¥9.89

36.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.14 ¥7.64

53.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.74 ¥5.00

10.81%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.94 ¥6.33

6.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.57 ¥3.81

14.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.54 ¥3.65

20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.14 ¥21.08

40.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$10.76 ¥72.2

3.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.76 ¥5.07

23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.64 ¥11.03

-4.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.29 ¥1.95

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$16.74 ¥112

75.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.37 ¥9.19

63.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.35 ¥2.36

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$6.61 ¥44.34

32.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.17 ¥7.86

6.84%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.5K ¥131.1K

0.76%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$16.9K ¥113.7K

7.64%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$45.76 ¥307

34.64%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$10.02 ¥67.3

-15.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$11.54 ¥77.5

-9.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$41.54 ¥279

67.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$13.88 ¥93.1

18.01%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$6.02 ¥40.42

46.84%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$328 ¥2,200

321.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$16.7K ¥112.3K

61.28%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$44.11 ¥296

17.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$30.70 ¥206

23.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$72.9 ¥489

2.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$71.4 ¥479

47.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$280 ¥1,879

251.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$194 ¥1,302

194.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$597 ¥4,005

313.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$367 ¥2,462

226.36%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,084 ¥20.7K

342.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,996 ¥13.4K

208.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.89

-13.88%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Huai'an: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Shanghai versus $280 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 $30.00 in Shanghai versus $22.00 in Huai'an. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $198 – 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 71%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,871 per month in Shanghai and $1,093 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 22% 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 $30.00 in Shanghai and $22.00 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 $729, than in Shanghai at $1,247. 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.