Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Huainan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Huainan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Shanghai vs $721 in Huainan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,973 per month in Shanghai vs $1,133 in Huainan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,733 per month in Shanghai vs $1,545 in Huainan, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 68% more than Huainan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Huainan are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Huainan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.76

$2.83 ¥19.10

76.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$21.43 ¥145

67.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.37

$4.83 ¥32.57

14.70%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.83

$3.01 ¥20.30

17.28%

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

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.47 ¥3.16

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.29 ¥1.97

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$0.95 ¥6.38

47.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.64

$2.14 ¥14.43

28.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.77

$1.87 ¥12.62

17.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.60 ¥10.83

11.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.94 ¥6.37

17.02%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.25

$1.61 ¥10.89

3.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$12.92 ¥87.2

17.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.84

$3.10 ¥20.94

-0.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥75.0

$10.13 ¥68.4

9.58%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.86

$1.87 ¥12.63

25.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.83

$1.21 ¥8.18

44.63%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥11.99

$1.55 ¥10.45

14.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.89

$1.10 ¥7.40

32.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$0.70 ¥4.70

14.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.47

$0.91 ¥6.17

21.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$0.60 ¥4.08

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.55 ¥3.72

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.21

$3.09 ¥20.84

-7.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.1

$10.53 ¥71.1

11.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.78 ¥5.28

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.93

$1.67 ¥11.25

-2.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.29 ¥1.98

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$16.95 ¥114

102.77%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.76

$1.40 ¥9.45

56.43%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.32 ¥2.18

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.8

$6.54 ¥44.14

24.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.33

$1.14 ¥7.68

-4.39%

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

$19.8K ¥133.8K

$19.4K ¥130.8K

2.30%

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

$17.8K ¥120.0K

$17.4K ¥117.7K

1.90%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$45.99 ¥310

14.05%

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

$8.46 ¥57.1

$9.58 ¥64.7

-11.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.6

$11.58 ¥78.2

17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$41.17 ¥278

11.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$14.05 ¥94.9

41.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$6.00 ¥40.49

37.50%

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

$1,280 ¥8,643

$329 ¥2,223

288.73%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.2K

$16.6K ¥112.3K

87.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$43.96 ¥297

34.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥256

$30.15 ¥204

26.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$71.9 ¥486

7.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥654

$72.1 ¥487

34.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,386

$278 ¥1,876

240.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,744

$193 ¥1,303

187.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$591 ¥3,991

315.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,104

$360 ¥2,429

233.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.3K

$3,051 ¥20.6K

362.56%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.9K

$2,047 ¥13.8K

224.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.8K

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Huainan: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Shanghai versus $278 in Huainan. 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 Huainan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $199 – making Huainan 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 Huainan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 68%, 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 $1,818 per month in Shanghai and $1,081 in Huainan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,212 in Shanghai and $721 in Huainan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Huainan, where all-in costs run around $721, than in Shanghai at $1,212. In Huainan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Huainan – 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 Huainan. 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.