Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Ilsan

For one person, living is cheaper in Shanghai: $1,244 a month against $1,444 in Ilsan, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. The total is higher in Ilsan despite lower rent and utilities.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Ilsan
Learn more

Ilsan Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Ilsan

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,444

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Ilsan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shanghai and in Ilsan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Shanghai versus $1,444 in Ilsan.

Shanghai $1,244
Ilsan $1,444

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $2,297 in Ilsan.

Shanghai $1,999
Ilsan $2,297

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Shanghai versus $3,151 in Ilsan.

Shanghai $2,755
Ilsan $3,151

Living in Shanghai costs roughly 14% less than in Ilsan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shanghai is 8% below, Ilsan is 7% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.47

$7.30 ₩9,705

-37.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$67.4 ₩89.6K

-55.15%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.13

$7.34 ₩9,763

-28.47%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.94

$4.01 ₩5,337

-18.20%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$1.61 ₩2,139

-64.60%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.77 ₩1,017

-53.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$3.79 ₩5,034

-67.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.18

$6.07 ₩8,070

-62.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.30

$2.08 ₩2,764

-11.54%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.08

$3.16 ₩4,198

-37.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$2.23 ₩2,971

-53.81%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.16

$3.36 ₩4,466

-50.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$15.36 ₩20.4K

10.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.33

$7.94 ₩10.6K

-59.82%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.3

$11.21 ₩14.9K

15.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$7.42 ₩9,860

-69.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.13

$3.25 ₩4,324

-48.92%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$5.75 ₩7,649

-64.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.08

$6.08 ₩8,087

-72.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$3.51 ₩4,666

-78.06%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$2.37 ₩3,152

-60.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$2.00 ₩2,657

-68.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$1.14 ₩1,520

-47.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.44

$3.41 ₩4,535

11.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.7

$18.73 ₩24.9K

-41.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.51

$2.23 ₩2,960

-63.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$3.35 ₩4,449

-51.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$1.10 ₩1,462

-44.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

$49.42 ₩65.7K

-40.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.11

$3.64 ₩4,834

-42.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$0.63 ₩833

-31.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$9.18 ₩12.2K

-1.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.89

$1.42 ₩1,883

-6.34%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$29.3K ₩39.0M

-35.11%

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

$18.7K ¥125.1K

$28.3K ₩37.6M

-33.82%

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

$57.8 ¥387

$213 ₩283.4K

-72.88%

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

$8.09 ¥54.1

$34.95 ₩46.5K

-76.85%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥70.0

$20.52 ₩27.3K

-48.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$52.0 ₩69.2K

26.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$11.82 ₩15.7K

50.76%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.9

$11.30 ₩15.0K

-20.80%

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

$1,414 ¥9,451

$520 ₩691.8K

171.67%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.2K

$17.6K ₩23.4M

58.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥361

$57.0 ₩75.8K

-5.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$32.76 ₩43.6K

13.22%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$69.9 ₩93.0K

6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥706

$83.0 ₩110.3K

27.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,056

$482 ₩640.8K

118.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,910

$365 ₩485.2K

60.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$1,166 ₩1.6M

113.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,240

$738 ₩981.9K

66.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.1K

$7,213 ₩9.6M

93.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.8K

$5,518 ₩7.3M

13.31%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

$3,453 ₩4.6M

-50.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

4.1

-18.05%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Ilsan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Ilsan

$365 25.3% 37.6% $220

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Ilsan

$396 27.5% 68.9% $162

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Ilsan

$109 7.6% 10.4% $13

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Ilsan

$169 11.7% 59.5% $63

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Ilsan

$75 5.2% 10.7% $9

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Ilsan

$269 18.6% 252% $192

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Ilsan

$61 4.2% 67.8% $24

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Shanghai and $482 in Ilsan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Ilsan pays 102% 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: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $67.0 in Ilsan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $396 per month, with Shanghai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇰🇷 Ilsan

🕒 Local time

05:22 5:22 AM

06:22 6:22 AM

1 h ahead of Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

1,061,752

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Shanghai Ilsan 860 km ≈ 1 h 30 min nonstop flight

From you

Shanghai
Ilsan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Ilsan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, eating out, and transport. The 16% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 102% lower in Ilsan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Shanghai versus $482 in Ilsan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,244 per month in Shanghai versus $1,444 in Ilsan – a 16% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Shanghai runs roughly 68% less than in Ilsan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $1,244 in Shanghai versus $1,444 in Ilsan, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shanghai but tight or insufficient in Ilsan. The gap between the two cities makes Shanghai 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.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Ilsan are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Shanghai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 16% less than in Ilsan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.