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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $724 in Kunshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,128 in Kunshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $1,533 in Kunshan, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 67% more than Kunshan, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Kunshan are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Kunshan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$2.75 ¥18.60

78.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$21.86 ¥148

66.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$4.95 ¥33.53

12.93%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.10 ¥20.96

14.52%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.43 ¥2.91

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.81

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$0.92 ¥6.23

55.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$2.13 ¥14.40

33.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.86 ¥12.61

16.13%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.54 ¥10.41

15.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.95 ¥6.42

15.79%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.59 ¥10.79

6.29%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$12.94 ¥87.7

18.24%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.21 ¥21.73

-2.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$10.05 ¥68.1

7.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.88 ¥12.74

20.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.21 ¥8.22

38.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.47 ¥9.98

22.45%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.13 ¥7.68

35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.75 ¥5.05

8.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.97 ¥6.55

14.43%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.60 ¥4.07

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.54 ¥3.69

3.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.15 ¥21.35

-9.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$10.48 ¥71.0

10.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.79 ¥5.38

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.59 ¥10.75

3.14%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.82

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.53 ¥112

108.17%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.42 ¥9.60

55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.33 ¥2.21

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.60 ¥44.67

26.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.14 ¥7.71

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$19.3K ¥130.9K

1.10%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$17.3K ¥117.4K

4.69%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$45.79 ¥310

15.33%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$9.89 ¥67.0

-13.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$11.60 ¥78.5

19.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$41.14 ¥279

14.29%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$13.85 ¥93.8

43.03%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.02 ¥40.80

40.53%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$333 ¥2,256

291.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$16.8K ¥113.6K

88.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$44.51 ¥301

33.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$30.97 ¥210

22.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$70.6 ¥478

11.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$71.1 ¥482

39.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$275 ¥1,859

239.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$196 ¥1,325

191.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$590 ¥3,997

321.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$365 ¥2,473

226.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$3,048 ¥20.6K

358.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$2,045 ¥13.9K

229.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.89

-7.97%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Kunshan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $275 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $22.00 in Kunshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $199 – 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 67%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $1,086 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 $36.00 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 $1,209 in Shanghai and $724 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 $724, than in Shanghai at $1,209. 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.