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: $1,236 in Shanghai versus $1,042 in Krabi.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Shanghai versus $1,438 in Krabi.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,717 in Shanghai versus $1,834 in Krabi.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 19% more expensive than in Krabi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Krabi 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.52

$3.09 ฿102

47.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 ¥198

$19.41 ฿641

51.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.98

$8.87 ฿293

-39.46%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.49

$1.79 ฿59.2

79.33%

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

$0.61 ¥4.06

$1.09 ฿36.18

-44.04%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.45 ฿14.76

-15.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.13

$1.92 ฿63.4

-36.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥18.15

$2.49 ฿82.3

8.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$2.29 ฿75.6

-14.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$1.49 ฿49.16

24.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.96

$2.20 ฿72.8

-52.73%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.49

$1.84 ฿60.8

-14.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ¥117

$16.02 ฿529

9.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ¥22.23

$2.81 ฿92.7

18.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$7.69 ฿254

76.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.20

$2.47 ฿81.6

-14.17%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.07 ฿35.52

65.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.33

$2.14 ฿70.8

-7.01%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.56 ฿51.5

13.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.44

$1.42 ฿46.96

-42.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$1.31 ฿43.40

-22.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$1.57 ฿51.8

-55.41%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.44

$0.49 ฿16.14

34.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.46

$4.46 ฿147

-14.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.0

$10.96 ฿362

-6.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.27

$1.82 ฿60.2

-48.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.58

$2.41 ฿79.5

-34.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$0.95 ฿31.54

-37.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.87 ¥200

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.83

$2.47 ฿81.5

-10.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$1.77 ฿58.4

-73.45%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ¥60.0

$6.06 ฿200

47.69%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.54

$1.28 ฿42.24

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

$19.6K ¥131.0K

$22.1K ฿730.9K

-11.56%

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

$19.0K ¥127.1K

$24.7K ฿817.1K

-23.25%

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

$59.3 ¥397

$72.0 ฿2,378

-17.57%

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

$8.62 ¥57.7

$11.45 ฿378

-24.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 ¥66.3

$24.90 ฿823

-60.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ¥439

$64.1 ฿2,117

2.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 ¥110

$9.09 ฿300

80.97%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ¥60.9

$7.46 ฿246

21.85%

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

$1,439 ¥9,638

$213 ฿7,049

574.55%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ¥172.6K

$8,492 ฿280.6K

203.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ¥355

$14.92 ฿493

255.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.80 ¥253

$15.40 ฿509

145.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥497

$75.5 ฿2,496

-1.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ¥720

$75.7 ฿2,500

41.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 ¥6,743

$355 ฿11.7K

183.72%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,781

$420 ฿13.9K

34.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 ¥16.1K

$718 ฿23.7K

235.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 ¥8,120

$542 ฿17.9K

123.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥92.5K

$1,229 ฿40.6K

1023.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,147 ¥41.2K

$1,076 ฿35.6K

471.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$708 ฿23.4K

144.96%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

7.4

-54.59%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Last update for Krabi: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,007 in Shanghai and $355 in Krabi. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 145% 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 $19.00 in Krabi for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $229 per month, with Krabi 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 Krabi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Krabi differ by about 19% in total monthly costs ($1,236 vs $1,042 including rent). Krabi is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 145% 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: $1,007 in Shanghai versus $355 in Krabi. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 5% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,236 per month in Shanghai versus $1,042 in Krabi – a 19% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,042 in Krabi versus $1,236 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 19% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.