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: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $705 in Jining.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,133 in Jining.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,561 in Jining.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 69% more expensive than in Jining, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Jining 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$2.81 ¥19.01

67.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$21.27 ¥144

68.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$4.85 ¥32.80

18.35%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$3.06 ¥20.71

15.03%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.44 ¥2.95

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.29 ¥1.98

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.89 ¥6.00

52.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.03 ¥13.73

39.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.84 ¥12.42

14.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.53 ¥10.36

17.65%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.95 ¥6.45

10.53%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.64 ¥11.06

2.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$13.03 ¥88.1

21.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.17 ¥21.45

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$10.01 ¥67.6

10.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.71 ¥11.56

39.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.20 ¥8.14

40.83%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.38 ¥9.32

28.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.08 ¥7.28

34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.68 ¥4.61

22.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.91 ¥6.18

24.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.60 ¥4.07

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.51 ¥3.48

17.65%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.12 ¥21.06

-9.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$8.63 ¥58.3

36.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.80 ¥5.43

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.63 ¥11.02

-3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$16.92 ¥114

107.15%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.38 ¥9.31

63.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.33 ¥2.22

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$6.48 ¥43.80

26.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.17 ¥7.92

-1.71%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$19.3K ¥130.6K

-0.24%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$16.8K ¥113.7K

5.30%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$46.36 ¥313

14.37%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$9.62 ¥65.0

-8.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.66 ¥78.8

18.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$42.24 ¥285

7.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$13.81 ¥93.3

44.82%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$6.10 ¥41.22

36.07%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$336 ¥2,273

275.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$17.0K ¥115.0K

86.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$42.98 ¥290

34.23%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$30.78 ¥208

23.23%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$71.9 ¥486

7.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$73.5 ¥496

31.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$280 ¥1,893

240.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$187 ¥1,265

196.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$587 ¥3,968

325.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$360 ¥2,429

235.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$3,117 ¥21.1K

358.45%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,847 ¥12.5K

258.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$591 ¥3,993

187.97%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Jining: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $280 in Jining. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 188% 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 $228 vs $193 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 69% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 188% 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $280 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 107% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $336 in Jining. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $705 in Jining versus $1,192 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 69% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.