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: $1,206 in Shanghai versus $696 in Kaifeng.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,104 in Kaifeng.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,710 in Shanghai versus $1,512 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 10% lower, Kaifeng 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 ¥32.12

$2.71 ¥18.34

75.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 ¥246

$13.87 ¥93.8

161.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥36.62

$4.35 ¥29.40

24.60%

Cappuccino

$3.54 ¥23.97

$2.09 ¥14.16

69.38%

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

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.44 ¥2.97

22.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.22 ¥1.49

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$1.09 ¥7.38

30.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$2.05 ¥13.88

35.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ¥14.11

$1.84 ¥12.43

13.59%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.52

$1.59 ¥10.72

16.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.22

$0.84 ¥5.65

27.38%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.55 ¥10.51

9.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 ¥105

$13.00 ¥87.9

18.92%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.74

$3.23 ¥21.85

-0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 ¥73.1

$10.32 ¥69.8

4.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 ¥15.35

$1.80 ¥12.19

26.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.78

$1.26 ¥8.54

38.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ¥11.57

$0.60 ¥4.07

185.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ¥10.20

$1.09 ¥7.35

38.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$0.72 ¥4.87

19.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$0.97 ¥6.55

18.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.55

$0.61 ¥4.10

9.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.73

$0.54 ¥3.65

1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 ¥18.64

$3.18 ¥21.52

-13.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 ¥80.7

$14.89 ¥101

-19.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.35

$0.75 ¥5.05

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.63

$1.66 ¥11.25

-5.42%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.27 ¥1.81

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.46 ¥240

$16.86 ¥114

110.32%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ¥14.75

$1.37 ¥9.26

59.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.76

$0.35 ¥2.39

17.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 ¥56.6

$6.56 ¥44.35

27.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.12 ¥7.57

-1.79%

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

$19.4K ¥130.9K

$19.7K ¥133.2K

-1.73%

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

$18.0K ¥121.9K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

7.87%

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

$52.7 ¥356

$45.40 ¥307

16.04%

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

$8.84 ¥59.8

$9.67 ¥65.4

-8.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.62 ¥92.1

$11.33 ¥76.6

20.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 ¥318

$42.07 ¥284

11.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.24 ¥137

$14.13 ¥95.6

43.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 ¥56.8

$6.33 ¥42.79

32.70%

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

$1,274 ¥8,617

$334 ¥2,259

281.50%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K ¥209.3K

$16.9K ¥114.5K

82.84%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ¥394

$42.69 ¥289

36.45%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥252

$30.60 ¥207

21.90%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ¥528

$70.3 ¥475

11.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥660

$74.9 ¥507

30.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 ¥6,361

$278 ¥1,877

238.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 ¥3,827

$186 ¥1,260

203.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 ¥17.2K

$589 ¥3,981

331.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 ¥7,976

$358 ¥2,422

229.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K ¥97.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,836 ¥46.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,653 ¥11.2K

$574 ¥3,879

188.17%

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 8, 2026

Last update for Kaifeng: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $941 in Shanghai and $278 in Kaifeng. 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 $14.00 in Kaifeng for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $204 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 188% 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: $941 in Shanghai versus $278 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 $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,206 per month in Shanghai versus $696 in Kaifeng – a 73% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in Kaifeng versus $1,206 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.