Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Huzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Huzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $706 in Huzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,145 in Huzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,583 in Huzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 71% more expensive than Huzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Huzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$2.73 ¥18.47

79.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$22.60 ¥153

60.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$4.77 ¥32.30

17.19%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.20 ¥21.64

10.94%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.45 ¥3.04

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.26 ¥1.76

38.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$0.87 ¥5.91

64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.15 ¥14.58

32.56%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$2.24 ¥15.16

-3.57%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$2.19 ¥14.84

-18.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.82 ¥5.56

34.15%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.48 ¥10.04

14.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$9.07 ¥61.5

68.69%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$2.83 ¥19.15

10.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$8.84 ¥59.9

21.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$2.24 ¥15.15

0.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.43 ¥9.67

16.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.58 ¥10.70

13.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.20 ¥8.13

27.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.88 ¥5.99

-7.95%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.96 ¥6.49

15.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.83 ¥5.60

-18.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.57 ¥3.83

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.52 ¥23.81

-19.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$11.79 ¥79.8

-1.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.51 ¥3.44

54.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.49 ¥10.12

10.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.82

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.38 ¥111

110.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.55 ¥10.51

42.58%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.38 ¥2.60

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$8.42 ¥57.0

-0.48%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.13 ¥7.64

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$17.2K ¥116.6K

13.52%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$14.3K ¥97.0K

26.67%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$42.85 ¥290

23.24%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$11.06 ¥74.9

-22.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$10.97 ¥74.3

26.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$41.03 ¥278

14.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.83 ¥93.7

43.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$5.69 ¥38.56

48.68%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$400 ¥2,711

225.41%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$18.1K ¥122.8K

74.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$43.57 ¥295

36.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$32.99 ¥223

15.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$68.1 ¥461

15.71%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$82.9 ¥561

19.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$279 ¥1,892

233.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$190 ¥1,289

199.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$584 ¥3,956

326.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$361 ¥2,444

230.37%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$3,128 ¥21.2K

347.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,799 ¥12.2K

274.13%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,454 ¥9,846

16.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.87

-7.49%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Huzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $279 in Huzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 16% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $23.00 in Huzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $197 per month, with Huzhou cheaper across the board.

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 Huzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Huzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 71% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 16% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $933 in Shanghai versus $279 in Huzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Huzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $706 in Huzhou versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Huzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Huzhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Huzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.