Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Kaifeng Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Kaifeng

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,220 in Shanghai versus $707 in Kaifeng.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,946 in Shanghai versus $1,091 in Kaifeng.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,672 in Shanghai versus $1,476 in Kaifeng.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 73% more expensive than Kaifeng, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Kaifeng 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 ¥32.39

$2.85 ¥19.52

65.96%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 ¥253

$13.97 ¥95.7

164.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥37.03

$4.20 ¥28.76

28.81%

Cappuccino

$3.42 ¥23.41

$2.10 ¥14.36

62.86%

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

$0.55 ¥3.76

$0.47 ¥3.20

17.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ¥2.32

$0.20 ¥1.37

70.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ¥9.63

$1.10 ¥7.56

28.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥19.67

$2.06 ¥14.09

39.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ¥14.23

$1.84 ¥12.62

13.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.30

$1.62 ¥11.07

11.11%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.18

$0.90 ¥6.20

16.67%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.14

$1.64 ¥11.26

-0.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 ¥105

$12.86 ¥88.1

19.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ¥21.10

$3.18 ¥21.76

-3.14%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 ¥75.1

$10.23 ¥70.0

7.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.24

$1.81 ¥12.39

30.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥12.13

$1.21 ¥8.29

46.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.88

$0.65 ¥4.44

166.15%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.05

$1.12 ¥7.69

31.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.37

$0.69 ¥4.71

13.04%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.71

$0.97 ¥6.64

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$0.59 ¥4.06

15.25%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.10

$0.55 ¥3.75

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.28

$3.06 ¥20.98

-7.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 ¥81.2

$14.42 ¥98.7

-17.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.45

$0.80 ¥5.46

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.98

$1.57 ¥10.77

1.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.27 ¥1.84

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 ¥241

$16.39 ¥112

114.34%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ¥15.09

$1.41 ¥9.65

56.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.80

$0.33 ¥2.25

24.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ¥56.5

$6.62 ¥45.31

24.62%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.56

$1.14 ¥7.78

-3.51%

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

$19.8K ¥135.7K

$19.4K ¥133.1K

1.92%

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

$18.1K ¥124.2K

$16.5K ¥113.2K

9.76%

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

$51.3 ¥351

$46.78 ¥320

9.62%

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

$8.47 ¥58.0

$9.53 ¥65.3

-11.12%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.92 ¥95.4

$11.64 ¥79.8

19.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 ¥319

$41.23 ¥282

13.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 ¥138

$14.00 ¥95.9

43.93%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.6

$6.35 ¥43.53

30.08%

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

$1,309 ¥8,969

$335 ¥2,296

290.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K ¥219.3K

$17.3K ¥118.3K

85.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ¥399

$43.58 ¥299

33.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥261

$30.93 ¥212

23.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 ¥540

$72.8 ¥499

8.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥660

$73.2 ¥502

31.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ¥6,595

$273 ¥1,872

252.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 ¥3,859

$188 ¥1,288

199.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥17.1K

$595 ¥4,073

318.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,198

$367 ¥2,513

226.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥94.9K

$3,144 ¥21.5K

340.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,279 ¥49.9K

$1,984 ¥13.6K

266.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,671 ¥11.4K

$635 ¥4,348

163.27%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Kaifeng: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $963 in Shanghai and $273 in Kaifeng. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 163% 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 $14.00 in Kaifeng for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $226 vs $203 per month, with Kaifeng 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 Kaifeng: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Kaifeng wins on cost – living expenses run 73% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Kaifeng the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Shanghai pays 163% 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 $273 in Kaifeng. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Kaifeng – a meal for two runs $14.00 versus $37.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,220 per month in Shanghai versus $707 in Kaifeng – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $707 in Kaifeng versus $1,220 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Kaifeng but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Kaifeng 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 Kaifeng gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.