Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Lanzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Lanzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $723 in Lanzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,141 in Lanzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,559 in Lanzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 73% more expensive than in Lanzhou, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Lanzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.22 ¥14.89

96.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$26.60 ¥179

12.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$5.76 ¥38.68

-11.98%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.55 ¥17.11

32.55%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.46 ¥3.10

28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.31 ¥2.08

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.65 ¥4.36

78.46%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.11 ¥14.18

12.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.82 ¥12.24

13.74%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.65 ¥11.09

19.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.99 ¥6.66

-2.02%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.98 ¥13.25

-15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$13.18 ¥88.5

28.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.46 ¥23.20

-2.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$12.26 ¥82.3

7.26%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.90 ¥12.76

22.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.31 ¥8.76

33.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.59 ¥10.65

25.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.24 ¥8.29

41.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.61 ¥4.07

34.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.93 ¥6.26

7.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.58 ¥3.87

12.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.58 ¥3.91

12.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.79 ¥25.40

16.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$11.39 ¥76.5

-1.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.80 ¥5.38

17.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.59 ¥10.65

-1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.29 ¥1.93

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$17.87 ¥120

64.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.84 ¥12.36

21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.94

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$7.02 ¥47.08

24.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.42 ¥9.56

-11.97%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$21.8K ¥146.3K

-9.73%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$15.8K ¥106.1K

15.31%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$55.1 ¥370

11.88%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$8.55 ¥57.4

-1.17%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$10.94 ¥73.4

-4.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$40.64 ¥273

71.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$14.60 ¥98.0

12.19%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$6.41 ¥43.00

37.91%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$415 ¥2,787

232.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$16.8K ¥112.9K

60.40%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$41.80 ¥280

24.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$33.84 ¥227

11.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$75.0 ¥503

-0.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$90.1 ¥604

17.02%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$293 ¥1,963

236.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$166 ¥1,114

244.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$591 ¥3,965

317.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$291 ¥1,953

311.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,688 ¥18.0K

408.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,664 ¥11.2K

269.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$953 ¥6,393

81.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

11.67%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Lanzhou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $293 in Lanzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 82% 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: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $27.00 in Lanzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $213 per month, with Lanzhou 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 Lanzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lanzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 73% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 82% 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $293 in Lanzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $415 in Lanzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $723 in Lanzhou versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Lanzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Lanzhou 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.

Expats usually find Lanzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 73% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.