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: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $683 in Jining.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,014 in Jining.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,346 in Jining.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 83% more expensive than in Jining, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Jining 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.30 ¥15.41

89.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$16.07 ¥108

85.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.36 ¥29.27

16.28%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.51 ¥16.83

34.66%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.47 ¥3.12

25.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.29 ¥1.92

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.91 ¥6.12

27.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$1.67 ¥11.21

42.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.67 ¥11.20

23.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.16 ¥7.80

69.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.93 ¥6.22

4.30%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$0.98 ¥6.56

71.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$8.09 ¥54.3

109.02%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$2.89 ¥19.40

17.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.27 ¥68.9

28.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.47 ¥9.88

57.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.01 ¥6.81

73.27%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.06 ¥7.13

88.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.17 ¥7.84

49.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.62 ¥4.15

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.72 ¥4.83

38.89%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.61 ¥4.11

6.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.76 ¥5.13

-14.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$5.18 ¥34.79

-14.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$9.39 ¥63.0

18.96%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$1.01 ¥6.76

-6.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.62 ¥10.85

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.31 ¥2.10

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$20.37 ¥137

44.48%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.07 ¥7.18

109.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.92

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$3.53 ¥23.67

148.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.27 ¥8.54

-1.57%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.3K ¥129.8K

1.78%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$17.4K ¥116.7K

4.85%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$60.6 ¥406

1.73%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$7.15 ¥47.98

18.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$10.57 ¥70.9

-1.51%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$41.78 ¥280

66.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$14.84 ¥99.6

10.38%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$4.45 ¥29.85

98.65%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$314 ¥2,110

339.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$7,437 ¥49.9K

262.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

-0.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$31.02 ¥208

22.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$73.0 ¥490

2.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$70.3 ¥471

50.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$281 ¥1,886

250.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$179 ¥1,204

218.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$392 ¥2,629

530.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$265 ¥1,777

352.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,192 ¥21.4K

327.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,958 ¥13.1K

214.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$579 ¥3,887

199.28%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.29

1.82%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Jining: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $281 in Jining. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 199% 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 $16.00 in Jining for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $171 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 83% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 199% higher in Shanghai, 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $281 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 44% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $314 in Jining. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $683 in Jining versus $1,247 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 83% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.