Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Jinzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Jinzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,202 in Shanghai versus $717 in Jinzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,961 in Shanghai versus $1,133 in Jinzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,720 in Shanghai versus $1,550 in Jinzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 68% more expensive than Jinzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Jinzhou 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.77 ¥32.24

$2.85 ¥19.26

67.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.51 ¥240

$20.75 ¥140

71.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.47 ¥36.97

$4.95 ¥33.47

10.51%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ¥23.44

$2.93 ¥19.77

18.43%

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

$0.58 ¥3.91

$0.43 ¥2.90

34.88%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ¥2.47

$0.27 ¥1.80

37.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.37 ¥9.27

$0.94 ¥6.35

45.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.83 ¥19.10

$2.07 ¥14.00

36.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.82

$1.79 ¥12.09

22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥11.99

$1.61 ¥10.86

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.09

$0.94 ¥6.37

11.70%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.96

$1.57 ¥10.59

3.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.45 ¥104

$12.97 ¥87.6

19.12%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ¥20.81

$3.23 ¥21.82

-4.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.82 ¥73.1

$10.12 ¥68.4

6.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.86

$1.78 ¥12.06

32.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.70

$1.21 ¥8.16

42.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.66

$1.41 ¥9.52

22.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.92

$1.10 ¥7.42

33.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.35

$0.73 ¥4.91

8.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.48

$0.92 ¥6.21

20.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$0.60 ¥4.04

11.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.80

$0.55 ¥3.72

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.04

$3.09 ¥20.86

-8.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 ¥80.6

$12.21 ¥82.5

-2.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.30

$0.76 ¥5.11

2.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.88

$1.61 ¥10.86

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.70

$0.29 ¥1.97

37.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.99 ¥236

$16.86 ¥114

107.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.78

$1.36 ¥9.20

61.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.54

$0.33 ¥2.21

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.44 ¥57.0

$6.72 ¥45.42

25.60%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.38

$1.13 ¥7.65

-3.54%

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

$19.7K ¥133.2K

$19.5K ¥131.4K

1.37%

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

$17.8K ¥120.3K

$16.5K ¥111.3K

8.11%

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

$51.9 ¥350

$45.90 ¥310

13.01%

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

$8.73 ¥59.0

$9.98 ¥67.4

-12.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.48 ¥91.1

$11.40 ¥77.0

18.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.45 ¥307

$41.85 ¥283

8.60%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.37 ¥138

$13.73 ¥92.8

48.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.12 ¥54.8

$6.37 ¥43.01

27.47%

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

$1,289 ¥8,707

$341 ¥2,301

278.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.3K ¥211.4K

$16.7K ¥112.7K

87.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥404

$43.50 ¥294

37.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.67 ¥254

$30.96 ¥209

21.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.8 ¥525

$70.3 ¥475

10.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.7 ¥660

$74.8 ¥505

30.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$964 ¥6,509

$278 ¥1,879

246.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 ¥3,824

$186 ¥1,257

204.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,491 ¥16.8K

$599 ¥4,043

316.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,180 ¥7,975

$360 ¥2,434

227.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.2K ¥95.7K

$2,704 ¥18.3K

423.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,684 ¥45.2K

$1,763 ¥11.9K

279.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,676 ¥11.3K

$450 ¥3,042

272.33%

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 14, 2026

Last update for Jinzhou: June 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $964 in Shanghai and $278 in Jinzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 272% 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 Jinzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $201 per month, with Jinzhou 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 Jinzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Jinzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 68% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 272% 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: $964 in Shanghai versus $278 in Jinzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Jinzhou – a meal for two runs $21.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,202 per month in Shanghai versus $717 in Jinzhou – a 68% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $717 in Jinzhou versus $1,202 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Jinzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Jinzhou 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 Jinzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 68% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.