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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $659 in Lanzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,033 in Lanzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,408 in Lanzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 84% more expensive than Lanzhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Lanzhou 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.21

$2.06 ¥13.96

137.86%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$20.81 ¥141

74.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.88

$6.26 ¥42.41

-10.70%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.03 ¥20.53

17.16%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.44 ¥2.96

29.55%

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

$0.53 ¥3.61

169.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.27

$1.66 ¥11.24

71.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.62

$1.54 ¥10.42

40.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$1.61 ¥10.92

10.56%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.94 ¥6.39

17.02%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.86 ¥12.58

-9.14%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$12.97 ¥87.9

17.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$3.02 ¥20.46

3.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.9

$9.05 ¥61.3

18.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.31

$1.81 ¥12.27

24.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.42 ¥9.65

17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.18

$1.24 ¥8.43

45.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$0.98 ¥6.61

56.12%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$0.49 ¥3.30

65.31%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.81 ¥5.48

37.04%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.62

$0.46 ¥3.11

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.56 ¥3.78

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.22

$3.21 ¥21.75

-11.53%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$10.95 ¥74.2

5.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.79 ¥5.37

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.08

$1.61 ¥10.88

1.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.29 ¥1.99

48.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.89 ¥114

103.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.94

$1.41 ¥9.53

56.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.16 ¥1.09

137.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$2.58 ¥17.46

224.81%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.39 ¥9.38

-17.99%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$19.1K ¥129.1K

2.53%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$16.6K ¥112.2K

9.56%

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

$52.8 ¥358

$43.84 ¥297

20.46%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$9.54 ¥64.6

-10.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$11.73 ¥79.5

17.99%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$41.25 ¥279

13.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$14.06 ¥95.2

40.90%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.40 ¥43.31

32.19%

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

$1,303 ¥8,823

$342 ¥2,313

281.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.8K

$28.3K ¥191.9K

11.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥404

$43.88 ¥297

35.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$30.63 ¥207

24.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥534

$72.1 ¥488

9.26%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$42.51 ¥288

133.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,317

$274 ¥1,855

240.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,861

$157 ¥1,064

262.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$600 ¥4,063

315.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,075

$279 ¥1,890

327.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$2,698 ¥18.3K

418.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.6K

$1,659 ¥11.2K

305.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$924 ¥6,257

82.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.87

-7.49%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Lanzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $274 in Lanzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 83% 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: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $21.00 in Lanzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $192 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 84% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 83% more on average, 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $274 in Lanzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $342 in Lanzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $659 in Lanzhou versus $1,209 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 84% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.