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: $1,219 in Shanghai versus $494 in Kaifeng.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Shanghai versus $799 in Kaifeng.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,713 in Shanghai versus $1,104 in Kaifeng.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 147% more expensive than in Kaifeng, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Kaifeng 64% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.26

$1.74 ¥11.65

159.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$13.29 ¥89.1

120.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.26

$4.18 ¥28.00

25.84%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.30

$2.51 ¥16.82

26.69%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$0.38 ¥2.57

63.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.14 ¥0.93

157.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.92 ¥6.19

27.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.33

$1.65 ¥11.05

66.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.54 ¥10.32

23.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.52 ¥10.15

24.34%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$0.85 ¥5.72

20.00%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.89

$0.91 ¥6.08

79.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$6.87 ¥46.02

150.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.20

$2.37 ¥15.85

33.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$10.01 ¥67.0

31.07%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$0.84 ¥5.63

153.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$0.97 ¥6.46

86.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.25

$0.63 ¥4.21

214.29%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.75

$0.61 ¥4.08

163.93%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.63 ¥4.19

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.68 ¥4.56

32.35%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.23 ¥1.55

186.96%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.52 ¥3.50

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.42

$2.99 ¥20.04

27.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.4

$14.62 ¥97.9

-29.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$1.00 ¥6.71

-12.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$2.01 ¥13.46

-22.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.16 ¥1.07

268.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.49

$1.16 ¥7.79

86.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.14 ¥0.91

207.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.5

$3.50 ¥23.42

158.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.23 ¥8.24

2.44%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$19.4K ¥130.1K

0.13%

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

$18.7K ¥125.2K

$14.6K ¥97.8K

28.08%

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

$57.5 ¥385

$44.50 ¥298

29.30%

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

$8.41 ¥56.3

$4.91 ¥32.86

71.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$5.18 ¥34.71

94.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$29.77 ¥199

119.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$10.58 ¥70.8

63.42%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$3.67 ¥24.61

144.69%

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

$1,411 ¥9,452

$311 ¥2,080

354.39%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.1K

$22.1K ¥147.9K

27.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$52.7 ¥353

-1.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥250

$31.45 ¥211

18.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥493

$70.3 ¥471

4.78%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$43.85 ¥294

139.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,574

$121 ¥808

713.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,786

$90.2 ¥604

526.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$221 ¥1,479

995.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,807

$175 ¥1,175

564.24%

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

$579 ¥3,878

200.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

3.1

9.03%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Kaifeng: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Shanghai and $121 in Kaifeng. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 201% 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 $13.00 in Kaifeng for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $164 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 147% 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 201% 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 $121 in Kaifeng. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 43% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,219 per month in Shanghai versus $494 in Kaifeng – a 147% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $494 in Kaifeng versus $1,219 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 147% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.