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: $1,220 in Shanghai versus $996 in Kahramanmaras.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,946 in Shanghai versus $2,009 in Kahramanmaras.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,672 in Shanghai versus $3,021 in Kahramanmaras.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 22% more expensive than Kahramanmaras, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Kahramanmaras 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 ¥32.39

$6.23 ₺281

-24.08%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 ¥253

$30.49 ₺1,376

21.02%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥37.03

$5.19 ₺234

4.24%

Cappuccino

$3.42 ¥23.41

$3.02 ₺136

13.25%

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

$0.55 ¥3.76

$1.38 ₺62.3

-60.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ¥2.32

$0.49 ₺22.13

-30.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ¥9.63

$3.87 ₺175

-63.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥19.67

$5.11 ₺231

-43.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ¥14.23

$0.77 ₺34.82

170.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.30

$0.37 ₺16.51

386.49%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.18

$1.24 ₺56.1

-15.32%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.14

$2.14 ₺96.6

-23.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 ¥105

$7.70 ₺348

99.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ¥21.10

$5.21 ₺235

-40.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 ¥75.1

$16.81 ₺759

-34.74%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.24

$1.27 ₺57.1

86.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥12.13

$2.06 ₺92.9

-14.08%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.88

$1.00 ₺45.29

73.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.05

$1.42 ₺64.3

3.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.37

$0.79 ₺35.50

-1.27%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.71

$0.64 ₺28.90

76.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$0.89 ₺40.24

-23.60%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.10

$0.40 ₺17.90

50.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.28

$2.20 ₺99.4

28.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 ¥81.2

$3.96 ₺179

199.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.45

$2.04 ₺92.1

-60.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.98

$2.90 ₺131

-44.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.43 ₺19.60

2.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 ¥241

$25.16 ₺1,136

39.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ¥15.09

$0.74 ₺33.30

197.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.80

$0.64 ₺29.02

-35.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ¥56.5

$4.95 ₺223

66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.56

$1.30 ₺58.6

-15.38%

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

$19.8K ¥135.7K

$44.1K ₺2.0M

-55.11%

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

$18.1K ¥124.2K

$40.9K ₺1.8M

-55.69%

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

$51.3 ¥351

$35.59 ₺1,606

44.09%

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

$8.47 ¥58.0

$13.36 ₺603

-36.60%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.92 ¥95.4

$13.66 ₺617

1.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 ¥319

$101 ₺4,568

-53.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 ¥138

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.6

$3.92 ₺177

110.71%

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

$1,309 ¥8,969

$460 ₺20.7K

184.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K ¥219.3K

$4,977 ₺224.7K

543.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ¥399

$64.5 ₺2,913

-9.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥261

$50.1 ₺2,264

-24.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 ¥540

$63.9 ₺2,883

23.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥660

$50.0 ₺2,259

92.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ¥6,595

$409 ₺18.5K

135.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 ¥3,859

$359 ₺16.2K

56.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥17.1K

$1,802 ₺81.3K

38.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,198

$1,548 ₺69.9K

-22.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥94.9K

$4,868 ₺219.7K

184.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,279 ¥49.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,671 ¥11.4K

$1,145 ₺51.7K

45.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

-88.81%

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

Last update for Shanghai: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kahramanmaras: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Shanghai and $409 in Kahramanmaras. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 46% 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: $37.00 in Shanghai vs $30.00 in Kahramanmaras for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $190 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 22% 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.

Shanghai pays 46% 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: $963 in Shanghai versus $409 in Kahramanmaras. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,220 per month in Shanghai versus $996 in Kahramanmaras – a 22% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Kahramanmaras runs roughly 40% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $996 in Kahramanmaras versus $1,220 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 22% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.