Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Jining

For one person, living is cheaper in Jining: $675 a month against $1,244 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $6,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
33

Cost of Living Index in Jining
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Jining Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Jining

🇨🇳 China

$675

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Jining

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 Jining actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Shanghai versus $675 in Jining.

Shanghai $1,244
Jining $675

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $1,012 in Jining.

Shanghai $1,999
Jining $1,012

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Shanghai versus $1,349 in Jining.

Shanghai $2,755
Jining $1,349

Living in Shanghai is roughly 84% more expensive than in Jining, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 8% lower, Jining 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.47

$2.19 ¥14.62

108.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$16.48 ¥110

83.31%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.13

$4.37 ¥29.21

20.14%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.94

$2.51 ¥16.75

30.68%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.51 ¥3.41

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.31 ¥2.08

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$0.93 ¥6.21

32.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.18

$1.61 ¥10.80

40.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.30

$1.70 ¥11.35

8.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.08

$1.18 ¥7.89

66.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$0.94 ¥6.27

9.57%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.16

$0.96 ¥6.43

73.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$8.16 ¥54.5

107.84%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.33

$2.87 ¥19.17

11.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.3

$10.26 ¥68.6

25.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$1.45 ¥9.68

54.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.13

$0.99 ¥6.61

67.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$1.06 ¥7.06

90.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.08

$1.17 ¥7.84

41.88%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$0.61 ¥4.09

26.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.73 ¥4.89

27.40%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.66 ¥4.42

-4.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$0.76 ¥5.08

-21.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.44

$5.31 ¥35.50

-28.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.7

$9.86 ¥65.9

10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.51

$0.95 ¥6.32

-13.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.61 ¥10.74

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$0.31 ¥2.08

96.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

$18.21 ¥122

61.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.11

$1.04 ¥6.94

102.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$0.29 ¥1.93

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$3.60 ¥24.10

151.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.89

$1.31 ¥8.77

1.53%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.3K ¥129.0K

-1.42%

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

$18.7K ¥125.1K

$17.6K ¥117.7K

6.31%

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

$57.8 ¥387

$60.8 ¥407

-4.95%

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

$8.09 ¥54.1

$6.92 ¥46.30

16.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥70.0

$10.47 ¥70.0

0.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$42.31 ¥283

55.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$15.20 ¥102

17.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.9

$4.43 ¥29.64

102.03%

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

$1,414 ¥9,451

$386 ¥2,578

266.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.2K

$7,427 ¥49.7K

275.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥361

$43.12 ¥288

25.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$33.56 ¥224

10.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$72.6 ¥485

2.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥706

$69.8 ¥466

51.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,056

$281 ¥1,880

275.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,910

$182 ¥1,214

221.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$391 ¥2,615

535.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,240

$269 ¥1,796

358.86%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.1K

$3,524 ¥23.6K

295.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.8K

$1,958 ¥13.1K

219.28%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

$592 ¥3,957

189.12%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.29

2.13%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Jining: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Jining

$182 26.9% 68.9% $403

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Jining

$172 25.5% 26.8% $63

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Jining

$99 14.6% 19.2% $23

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Jining

$72 10.6% 32.3% $34

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Jining

$51 7.6% 38.8% $32

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Jining

$78 11.6% 2.4% $1.8

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Jining

$22 3.3% 39.2% $14

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Shanghai and $281 in Jining. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 189% 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 $235 vs $172 per month, with Jining cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇨🇳 Jining

🕒 Local time

16:41 4:41 PM

Same time as Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

8,357,897

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Shanghai Jining 650 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

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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, clothing, and eating out. The 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 189% 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: $1,055 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 61% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,414 in Shanghai versus $386 in Jining. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $675 in Jining versus $1,244 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 84% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.