Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Huizhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Huizhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Shanghai vs $758 in Huizhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Shanghai vs $1,172 in Huizhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Shanghai vs $1,587 in Huizhou, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 61% more than Huizhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Huizhou are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Huizhou 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.27

$2.24 ¥15.04

101.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$18.07 ¥121

62.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.27

$4.95 ¥33.18

6.26%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.31

$3.04 ¥20.37

4.61%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$0.54 ¥3.64

14.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.29 ¥1.92

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$1.06 ¥7.12

10.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.34

$1.60 ¥10.74

71.25%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.88 ¥12.60

1.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.56 ¥10.43

21.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$1.11 ¥7.42

-8.11%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.90

$1.56 ¥10.44

4.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$7.70 ¥51.6

123.38%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.21

$4.24 ¥28.38

-25.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$12.12 ¥81.2

8.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.77 ¥11.85

20.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.23 ¥8.24

47.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.24 ¥8.31

59.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.36 ¥9.13

18.38%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$1.00 ¥6.70

-23.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$1.17 ¥7.85

-23.08%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.66 ¥4.43

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.46 ¥3.07

32.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.43

$2.91 ¥19.49

30.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.5

$10.52 ¥70.5

-1.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$1.06 ¥7.10

-16.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.41

$1.68 ¥11.24

-7.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.31 ¥2.09

90.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$17.77 ¥119

68.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.02 ¥6.84

111.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.89

$0.41 ¥2.74

4.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.6

$3.69 ¥24.71

144.99%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.16 ¥7.75

8.62%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$19.1K ¥128.0K

1.80%

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

$18.7K ¥125.3K

$15.5K ¥104.2K

20.28%

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

$57.5 ¥386

$48.82 ¥327

17.86%

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

$8.41 ¥56.4

$11.31 ¥75.8

-25.64%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$10.15 ¥68.0

-0.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$39.62 ¥266

64.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$14.90 ¥99.9

16.04%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$6.53 ¥43.79

37.52%

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

$1,411 ¥9,455

$411 ¥2,753

243.49%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.2K

$21.0K ¥141.0K

34.19%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$49.21 ¥330

5.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥251

$40.58 ¥272

-7.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥494

$83.3 ¥558

-11.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$69.7 ¥467

50.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,577

$211 ¥1,411

366.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,787

$235 ¥1,572

140.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$395 ¥2,649

511.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,810

$415 ¥2,781

180.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,223 ¥14.9K

515.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$1,185 ¥7,940

416.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$845 ¥5,665

106.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

3.4

-0.59%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Huizhou: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Shanghai versus $211 in Huizhou. 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 106% 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 $29.00 in Shanghai versus $18.00 in Huizhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $197 – making Huizhou 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 Huizhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,219 in Shanghai, $758 in Huizhou – roughly 61% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,829 per month in Shanghai and $1,137 in Huizhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Huizhou, 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 $29.00 in Shanghai and $18.00 in Huizhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,219 in Shanghai and $758 in Huizhou. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Huizhou, where all-in costs run around $758, than in Shanghai at $1,219. In Huizhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Huizhou – 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 Huizhou. 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.