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: $1,212 in Shanghai versus $704 in Kaifeng.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,973 in Shanghai versus $1,103 in Kaifeng.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Shanghai versus $1,501 in Kaifeng.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 72% more expensive than in Kaifeng, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.78

$2.77 ¥18.73

80.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$14.19 ¥95.8

153.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.39

$4.26 ¥28.80

30.05%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.85

$2.11 ¥14.25

67.30%

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

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.47 ¥3.14

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.22 ¥1.49

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$1.10 ¥7.41

27.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.65

$2.04 ¥13.75

35.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.78

$1.85 ¥12.48

18.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.55 ¥10.48

15.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.90 ¥6.07

22.22%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.63 ¥11.03

2.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$13.03 ¥88.0

16.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.85

$3.24 ¥21.89

-4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥75.0

$10.25 ¥69.2

8.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.87

$1.80 ¥12.14

30.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.84

$1.22 ¥8.22

43.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.00

$0.60 ¥4.05

196.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$1.10 ¥7.43

32.73%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$0.73 ¥4.91

9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.47

$0.98 ¥6.64

13.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$0.60 ¥4.07

6.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.55 ¥3.72

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.22

$3.08 ¥20.82

-7.47%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.1

$14.80 ¥100.0

-20.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.79 ¥5.33

1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.93

$1.59 ¥10.72

1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.81

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$17.01 ¥115

102.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.77

$1.41 ¥9.51

55.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.35 ¥2.37

8.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.8

$6.50 ¥43.88

24.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$1.18 ¥7.97

-7.63%

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

$19.8K ¥133.8K

$19.7K ¥133.2K

0.49%

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

$17.8K ¥120.0K

$16.8K ¥113.8K

5.49%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$45.23 ¥306

15.96%

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

$8.46 ¥57.2

$9.87 ¥66.7

-14.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.6

$11.35 ¥76.7

19.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$41.93 ¥283

9.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$13.69 ¥92.5

45.73%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$6.14 ¥41.46

34.36%

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

$1,280 ¥8,648

$338 ¥2,285

278.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.3K

$17.2K ¥116.5K

80.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$44.21 ¥299

34.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥257

$30.93 ¥209

22.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$72.0 ¥486

7.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥655

$74.8 ¥505

29.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,390

$280 ¥1,893

237.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,746

$189 ¥1,273

194.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$600 ¥4,053

309.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,109

$355 ¥2,398

238.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.8K

$574 ¥3,876

203.45%

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: July 26, 2026

Last update for Kaifeng: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Shanghai and $280 in Kaifeng. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 203% 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 72% 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.

Average pay runs 203% 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: $946 in Shanghai versus $280 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 $1,212 per month in Shanghai versus $704 in Kaifeng – a 72% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $704 in Kaifeng versus $1,212 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 72% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.