Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Kahramanmaras Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Kahramanmaras

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Shanghai versus $717 in Kahramanmaras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Shanghai versus $1,093 in Kahramanmaras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,713 in Shanghai versus $1,470 in Kahramanmaras.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 70% more expensive than in Kahramanmaras, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Kahramanmaras 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.26

$3.70 ₺180

22.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$12.24 ₺597

139.22%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.25

$7.14 ₺348

-26.33%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.30

$3.40 ₺166

-6.47%

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

$0.62 ¥4.12

$0.50 ₺24.18

24.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.22 ₺10.74

63.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.84

$2.01 ₺98.1

-41.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.33

$2.53 ₺124

8.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$0.90 ₺43.81

111.11%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$0.94 ₺45.90

101.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$1.63 ₺79.4

-37.42%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.89

$1.20 ₺58.7

35.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$8.78 ₺428

95.90%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.19

$3.41 ₺166

-7.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$16.33 ₺796

-19.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.77 ₺86.1

20.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.88 ₺91.7

-3.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.25

$0.64 ₺31.42

209.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.75

$0.85 ₺41.39

89.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.37 ₺17.92

108.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.34 ₺16.49

164.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.77 ₺37.40

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.63 ₺30.57

-3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.42

$2.11 ₺103

80.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.4

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$2.28 ₺111

-61.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$2.90 ₺141

-46.55%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.30 ₺14.77

96.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.49

$2.59 ₺126

-16.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$1.35 ₺65.9

-68.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.5

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.24 ₺60.6

1.61%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$42.5K ₺2.1M

-54.23%

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

$18.7K ¥125.2K

$39.9K ₺1.9M

-53.14%

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

$57.5 ¥385

$40.90 ₺1,994

40.68%

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

$8.41 ¥56.3

$7.06 ₺344

19.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.5

$10.12 ₺493

-0.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$31.41 ₺1,531

107.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$22.29 ₺1,087

-22.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.1

$4.44 ₺216

102.25%

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

$1,411 ¥9,450

$364 ₺17.7K

287.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.1K

$7,664 ₺373.7K

268.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$30.62 ₺1,493

69.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥250

$20.46 ₺998

82.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥493

$60.8 ₺2,967

21.09%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$52.4 ₺2,556

100.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,573

$308 ₺15.0K

218.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,785

$248 ₺12.1K

127.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$513 ₺25.0K

371.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,806

$406 ₺19.8K

187.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$1,073 ₺52.3K

62.48%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

-90.34%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kahramanmaras: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Shanghai and $308 in Kahramanmaras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 62% 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: $29.00 in Shanghai vs $12.00 in Kahramanmaras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $179 per month, with Kahramanmaras 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 Kahramanmaras: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kahramanmaras wins on cost – living expenses run 70% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kahramanmaras the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 62% 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: $982 in Shanghai versus $308 in Kahramanmaras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,411 in Shanghai versus $364 in Kahramanmaras. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Kahramanmaras – a meal for two runs $12.00 versus $29.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $717 in Kahramanmaras versus $1,219 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kahramanmaras but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Kahramanmaras 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.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Kahramanmaras are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Kahramanmaras gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.