Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Kyoto Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Kyoto

🙂 Solo nomad: Shanghai is 22% cheaper than Kyoto without rent, and 6.5% cheaper with rent.

🙂 Family of 3: Shanghai is 22.2% cheaper than Kyoto without rent, and 9.9% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.85 ¥34.29

$10.38 ¥1,615

-53.28%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.66 ¥259

$34.46 ¥5,360

6.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥38.27

$5.39 ¥838

0.37%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥24.95

$3.37 ¥524

4.75%

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

$0.58 ¥4.12

$0.92 ¥143

-36.96%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ¥2.39

$0.74 ¥116

-54.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.4 ¥9.92

$3.42 ¥533

-59.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.78 ¥19.64

$6.56 ¥1,021

-57.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.11 ¥14.91

$1.7 ¥264

24.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥13.01

$1.74 ¥270

5.75%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.47

$3.06 ¥476

-65.36%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥11.38

$2.26 ¥351

-28.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.27 ¥108

$9.75 ¥1,516

56.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.07 ¥21.68

$7.86 ¥1,222

-60.94%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.94 ¥77.4

$15.71 ¥2,444

-30.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.8

$5.46 ¥850

-56.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥12.36

$2.57 ¥400

-31.91%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.67

$6.55 ¥1,018

-72.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.38

$3.83 ¥596

-61.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥6.04

$1.61 ¥250

-47.20%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.88

$2.33 ¥362

-52.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.51

$1.29 ¥201

-50.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.96

$1.01 ¥158

-44.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.93

$4.13 ¥642

-31.72%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.49 ¥81.2

$7.75 ¥1,205

48.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.53

$1.78 ¥277

-56.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.56

$3.73 ¥580

-56.30%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.09

$1.66 ¥259

-73.49%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.77 ¥246

$69.5 ¥10.8K

-49.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥15.61

$3.57 ¥555

-38.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.4 ¥2.85

$2.92 ¥454

-86.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 ¥58.9

$17.95 ¥2,792

-53.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.68

$1.24 ¥192

-12.10%

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

$19.7K ¥139.3K

$23K ¥3.6M

-14.46%

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

$18.1K ¥127.9K

$17.3K ¥2.7M

4.46%

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

$51.8 ¥366

$113 ¥17.5K

-54.04%

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

$8.81 ¥62.3

$26.27 ¥4,086

-66.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.66 ¥96.6

$33.81 ¥5,259

-59.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.59 ¥329

$57 ¥8,864

-18.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥141

$20.86 ¥3,244

-4.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.58 ¥60.6

$13.07 ¥2,034

-34.35%

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

$1,267 ¥8,958

$364 ¥56.6K

247.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32K ¥226.3K

$7,541 ¥1.2M

324.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥413

$45.11 ¥7,017

29.39%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.88 ¥268

$31.88 ¥4,958

18.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.5 ¥541

$72.6 ¥11.3K

5.38%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$95.9 ¥678

$90.1 ¥14K

6.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$961 ¥6,798

$585 ¥91K

64.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$560 ¥3,958

$351 ¥54.5K

59.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,502 ¥17.7K

$1,669 ¥259.6K

49.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,426

$916 ¥142.5K

30.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥100.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,164 ¥50.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,553 ¥11K

$1,793 ¥278.9K

-13.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

1.78

101.12%

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

Last update for Shanghai: November 29, 2025

Last update for Kyoto: December 2, 2025

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

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