Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Kunshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Kunshan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Shanghai vs $720 in Kunshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Shanghai vs $1,138 in Kunshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Shanghai vs $1,556 in Kunshan, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 73% more than Kunshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Kunshan are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Kunshan 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.83 ¥19.02

54.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$21.83 ¥146

36.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.75 ¥31.89

6.74%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.96 ¥19.87

14.19%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.43 ¥2.92

37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.27 ¥1.79

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.94 ¥6.32

23.40%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.14 ¥14.36

11.21%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.79 ¥12.02

15.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.55 ¥10.37

27.10%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.55 ¥10.39

8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$12.67 ¥85.0

33.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.16 ¥21.19

7.28%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.04 ¥67.4

30.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.79 ¥12.01

29.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.26 ¥8.48

38.89%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.55 ¥10.42

29.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.15 ¥7.69

52.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.71 ¥4.74

15.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.90 ¥6.05

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.56 ¥3.73

16.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.54 ¥3.64

20.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.07 ¥20.57

43.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$10.73 ¥72.0

4.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.75 ¥5.05

25.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.63 ¥10.94

-4.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.29 ¥1.95

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$16.59 ¥111

77.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.41 ¥9.46

58.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.33 ¥2.21

30.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$6.59 ¥44.24

33.08%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.18 ¥7.94

5.93%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.5K ¥131.0K

0.84%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$17.2K ¥115.7K

5.73%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$45.55 ¥306

35.26%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$9.98 ¥67.0

-15.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$11.92 ¥80.0

-12.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$41.21 ¥277

69.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$14.11 ¥94.7

16.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.76 ¥38.63

53.47%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$330 ¥2,215

318.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$17.0K ¥114.0K

58.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$43.23 ¥290

19.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$30.28 ¥203

25.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$70.5 ¥473

6.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$73.2 ¥491

44.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$284 ¥1,906

246.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$190 ¥1,277

200.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$603 ¥4,049

309.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$355 ¥2,379

237.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,074 ¥20.6K

344.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$2,062 ¥13.8K

198.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.89

-13.88%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Kunshan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Shanghai versus $284 in Kunshan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shanghai versus $22.00 in Kunshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $197 – making Kunshan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Kunshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 73%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,871 per month in Shanghai and $1,079 in Kunshan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Kunshan, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $30.00 in Shanghai and $22.00 in Kunshan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,247 in Shanghai and $720 in Kunshan. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kunshan, where all-in costs run around $720, than in Shanghai at $1,247. In Kunshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kunshan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kunshan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.