Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Krabi Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Krabi

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $1,001 in Krabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,452 in Krabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,903 in Krabi.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 21% more expensive than Krabi, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Krabi 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$3.12 ฿102

57.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$24.63 ฿804

47.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$6.03 ฿197

-7.30%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$2.67 ฿87.3

32.96%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.95 ฿30.88

-40.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.40 ฿12.98

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$2.39 ฿78.0

-40.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.83 ฿92.4

0.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$2.51 ฿82.1

-13.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$2.45 ฿80.0

-27.35%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.94 ฿63.5

-43.30%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$2.16 ฿70.6

-21.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$27.55 ฿900

-44.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.61 ฿118

-13.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$7.83 ฿256

37.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$2.47 ฿80.5

-8.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$0.89 ฿28.91

87.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.89 ฿61.8

-4.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.95 ฿63.6

-21.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$1.50 ฿48.88

-46.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$1.35 ฿44.09

-17.78%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$1.48 ฿48.42

-54.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.44 ฿14.51

27.27%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.65 ฿119

-22.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$10.98 ฿358

5.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$1.70 ฿55.6

-53.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$3.12 ฿102

-47.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$1.20 ฿39.20

-64.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.11 ฿36.11

99.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$1.19 ฿38.77

-68.07%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.15 ฿201

36.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.20 ฿39.19

-5.00%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$28.2K ฿921.3K

-30.73%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$27.9K ฿912.0K

-35.00%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$43.78 ฿1,430

20.63%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$12.83 ฿419

-33.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$27.96 ฿913

-50.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$40.95 ฿1,338

14.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$12.26 ฿400

61.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.78 ฿222

24.78%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$213 ฿6,951

512.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$7,852 ฿256.4K

302.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$32.98 ฿1,077

80.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$34.73 ฿1,134

9.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$108 ฿3,528

-27.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$76.3 ฿2,491

30.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$498 ฿16.3K

87.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$372 ฿12.1K

53.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$596 ฿19.5K

317.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$445 ฿14.5K

167.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$1,212 ฿39.6K

1054.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,070 ฿35.0K

528.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$732 ฿23.9K

130.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

5.45

-34.31%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Krabi: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $498 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 131% 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 $25.00 in Krabi. Groceries flip the comparison at $225 vs $280, with Shanghai cheaper for home cooking.

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 Krabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Krabi differ by about 21% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $1,001 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 131% 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $498 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Shanghai pay roughly 25% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $1,001 in Krabi – a 21% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,001 in Krabi versus $1,209 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Krabi but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Krabi 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 Krabi 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 Krabi gentler on the wallet – expenses run 21% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.