Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Jining Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Jining

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $697 in Jining.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,132 in Jining.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,567 in Jining.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 73% more expensive than Jining, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Jining 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$2.75 ¥18.60

78.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$20.75 ¥141

74.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$4.99 ¥33.80

12.02%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.05 ¥20.68

16.39%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.43 ¥2.94

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.81

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$0.93 ¥6.27

53.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.14 ¥14.47

33.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.80 ¥12.18

20.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.53 ¥10.34

16.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.92 ¥6.22

19.57%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.63 ¥11.01

3.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$13.09 ¥88.7

16.88%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.12 ¥21.13

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$10.17 ¥68.9

5.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.79 ¥12.10

26.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.27 ¥8.58

31.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.36 ¥9.21

32.35%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.09 ¥7.39

40.37%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.73 ¥4.94

10.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.92 ¥6.24

20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.59 ¥4.01

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.55 ¥3.73

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.04 ¥20.60

-6.58%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$8.62 ¥58.4

34.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.80 ¥5.45

-1.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.66 ¥11.27

-1.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.82

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.98 ¥115

102.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.35 ¥9.15

63.70%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.33 ¥2.22

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.52 ¥44.17

28.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.18 ¥7.96

-3.39%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$19.4K ¥131.6K

0.59%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

8.76%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$45.43 ¥308

16.24%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$9.76 ¥66.1

-12.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$11.47 ¥77.7

20.66%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$41.93 ¥284

12.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.88 ¥94.0

42.72%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.20 ¥42.01

36.45%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$339 ¥2,295

284.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$17.0K ¥115.3K

85.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$44.29 ¥300

34.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$30.40 ¥206

25.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$70.5 ¥478

11.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$74.2 ¥503

33.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$282 ¥1,910

230.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$184 ¥1,247

209.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$603 ¥4,084

312.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$365 ¥2,472

226.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$3,175 ¥21.5K

340.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,791 ¥12.1K

275.69%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$577 ¥3,909

192.60%

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 Jining: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $282 in Jining. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 193% 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 $21.00 in Jining for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $194 per month, with Jining 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 Jining: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jining is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 193% 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 $282 in Jining. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Jining runs roughly 103% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $339 in Jining. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $697 in Jining versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jining but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Jining 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 Jining gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.