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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $703 in Huizhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,080 in Huizhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $1,457 in Huizhou, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 72% more than Huizhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Huizhou are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Huizhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.19

$2.03 ¥13.77

141.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$16.33 ¥111

122.29%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.86

$4.75 ¥32.13

17.68%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.04

$2.80 ¥18.92

26.79%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.47 ¥3.15

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.29 ¥1.99

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$1.01 ¥6.81

41.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.26

$1.56 ¥10.57

82.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.61

$1.86 ¥12.61

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.46 ¥9.88

21.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.06 ¥7.16

3.77%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.44

$1.42 ¥9.59

19.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$7.51 ¥50.8

103.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.14

$4.05 ¥27.41

-22.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.8

$11.54 ¥78.1

-6.76%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.30

$1.71 ¥11.57

32.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.32

$1.24 ¥8.41

34.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.20 ¥8.09

50.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.27 ¥8.62

20.47%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.90 ¥6.07

-10.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$1.09 ¥7.36

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.52 ¥3.49

30.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.43 ¥2.89

30.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$2.87 ¥19.42

-1.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$10.78 ¥73.0

7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.01 ¥6.85

-21.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.44 ¥9.74

13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.80

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.66 ¥113

106.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.93

$0.93 ¥6.29

137.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.38 ¥2.55

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$3.39 ¥22.93

147.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.11 ¥7.54

2.70%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$18.3K ¥124.1K

6.57%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$14.2K ¥96.1K

27.86%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$46.09 ¥312

14.58%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$10.51 ¥71.2

-18.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$9.35 ¥63.3

48.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$38.46 ¥260

22.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.96 ¥94.5

41.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.25 ¥42.30

35.36%

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

$1,303 ¥8,817

$312 ¥2,109

318.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.7K

$15.8K ¥107.2K

99.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$40.56 ¥275

46.89%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$28.56 ¥193

33.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$69.3 ¥469

13.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$60.7 ¥411

63.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,313

$196 ¥1,325

376.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,858

$216 ¥1,464

163.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$375 ¥2,535

564.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,070

$387 ¥2,621

207.93%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$2,194 ¥14.8K

537.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,172 ¥7,935

474.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$855 ¥5,788

97.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

-10.50%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Huizhou: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $196 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 98% 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $16.00 in Huizhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $189 – 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: $1,209 in Shanghai, $703 in Huizhou – roughly 72% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $1,054 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 $36.00 in Shanghai and $16.00 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 $1,209 in Shanghai and $703 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 $703, than in Shanghai at $1,209. 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.