Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Jiaxing Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Jiaxing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Shanghai vs $652 in Jiaxing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,976 per month in Shanghai vs $1,105 in Jiaxing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,717 per month in Shanghai vs $1,558 in Jiaxing, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 90% more than Jiaxing, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Jiaxing are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Jiaxing 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.52

$2.93 ¥19.60

55.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 ¥198

$22.13 ¥148

33.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.98

$5.63 ¥37.69

-4.62%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.49

$4.07 ¥27.24

-21.13%

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

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.48 ¥3.24

27.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.31 ¥2.09

22.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.13

$0.77 ¥5.18

57.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥18.15

$2.28 ¥15.28

18.86%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.82 ¥12.16

7.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$2.01 ¥13.44

-7.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.96

$0.61 ¥4.12

70.49%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.49

$1.86 ¥12.47

-15.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ¥117

$7.58 ¥50.8

130.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ¥22.23

$3.37 ¥22.59

-1.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$7.43 ¥49.73

82.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.20

$1.61 ¥10.77

31.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.11 ¥7.41

59.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.33

$0.96 ¥6.43

107.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$0.68 ¥4.58

160.29%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.44

$0.58 ¥3.88

39.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$0.81 ¥5.40

24.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.50 ¥3.34

40.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.44

$0.59 ¥3.93

11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.46

$5.37 ¥35.97

-29.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.0

$11.88 ¥79.6

-13.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.27

$0.73 ¥4.90

28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.58

$1.32 ¥8.85

19.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$0.21 ¥1.40

180.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.87 ¥200

$16.34 ¥109

82.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.83

$1.21 ¥8.10

82.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.39 ¥2.64

20.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ¥60.0

$7.63 ¥51.1

17.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.54

$1.18 ¥7.88

8.47%

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

$19.6K ¥131.0K

-0.00%

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

$19.0K ¥127.1K

$18.8K ¥126.2K

0.76%

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

$59.3 ¥397

$36.79 ¥246

61.27%

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

$8.62 ¥57.7

$11.60 ¥77.7

-25.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 ¥66.3

$5.33 ¥35.70

85.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ¥439

$36.64 ¥245

78.96%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 ¥110

$7.63 ¥51.1

115.60%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ¥60.9

$5.35 ¥35.81

69.91%

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

$1,439 ¥9,638

$438 ¥2,936

228.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ¥172.6K

$12.9K ¥86.2K

100.22%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ¥355

$34.97 ¥234

51.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.80 ¥253

$21.78 ¥146

73.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥497

$65.3 ¥437

13.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ¥720

$45.31 ¥303

137.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 ¥6,743

$285 ¥1,909

253.26%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,781

$180 ¥1,207

213.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 ¥16.1K

$742 ¥4,968

224.41%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 ¥8,120

$450 ¥3,017

169.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥92.5K

$3,858 ¥25.8K

258.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,147 ¥41.2K

$2,094 ¥14.0K

193.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$740 ¥4,959

134.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.13

7.35%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Last update for Jiaxing: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,007 in Shanghai versus $285 in Jiaxing. 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 134% 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 $22.00 in Jiaxing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $174 – making Jiaxing 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 Jiaxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai costs about 90% more than Jiaxing, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,854 per month in Shanghai and $978 in Jiaxing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 83% less in Jiaxing. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,439 per month in Shanghai and $438 in Jiaxing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Jiaxing, where all-in costs run around $652, than in Shanghai at $1,236. In Jiaxing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Jiaxing – 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 Jiaxing. 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.