Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Lianyungang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Lianyungang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Shanghai versus $687 in Lianyungang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,973 in Shanghai versus $1,048 in Lianyungang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Shanghai versus $1,409 in Lianyungang.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 76% more expensive than in Lianyungang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Lianyungang 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.78

$3.40 ¥22.97

47.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$11.34 ¥76.6

217.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.39

$4.44 ¥29.98

24.77%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.85

$1.70 ¥11.49

107.65%

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

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.43 ¥2.92

32.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.31 ¥2.11

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$0.73 ¥4.93

91.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.65

$2.05 ¥13.87

34.63%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.78

$1.88 ¥12.72

16.49%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.01 ¥6.83

77.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.89 ¥6.02

23.60%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.68 ¥11.35

-0.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$14.85 ¥100

2.63%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.85

$4.06 ¥27.43

-23.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥75.0

$8.85 ¥59.8

25.42%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.87

$1.14 ¥7.71

106.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.84

$0.58 ¥3.93

201.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.00

$0.86 ¥5.78

106.98%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$0.44 ¥2.96

231.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$0.73 ¥4.93

9.59%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.47

$0.43 ¥2.93

158.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$0.27 ¥1.81

137.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.41 ¥2.74

46.34%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.22

$3.88 ¥26.22

-26.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.1

$14.42 ¥97.4

-18.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$1.05 ¥7.06

-23.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.93

$1.55 ¥10.47

4.52%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.80

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$16.67 ¥113

106.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.77

$1.10 ¥7.40

99.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.31 ¥2.12

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.8

$7.45 ¥50.3

8.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$1.14 ¥7.72

-4.39%

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

$19.8K ¥133.8K

$19.7K ¥133.3K

0.38%

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

$17.8K ¥120.0K

$13.2K ¥88.9K

34.97%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$50.9 ¥344

2.96%

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

$8.46 ¥57.2

$10.85 ¥73.3

-22.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.6

$8.27 ¥55.9

64.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$41.55 ¥281

10.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$13.81 ¥93.3

44.46%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$4.08 ¥27.55

102.21%

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

$1,280 ¥8,648

$280 ¥1,889

357.81%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.3K

$17.2K ¥116.1K

81.09%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$22.24 ¥150

166.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥257

$22.60 ¥153

68.10%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$58.7 ¥396

31.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥655

$102 ¥688

-4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,390

$276 ¥1,862

243.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,746

$187 ¥1,264

196.37%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$601 ¥4,060

308.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,109

$362 ¥2,444

231.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.3K

$3,355 ¥22.7K

320.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.9K

$1,727 ¥11.7K

284.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.8K

$582 ¥3,933

199.04%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.81

-6.04%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 26, 2026

Last update for Lianyungang: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Shanghai and $276 in Lianyungang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 199% 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 $11.00 in Lianyungang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $192 per month, with Lianyungang 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 Lianyungang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Lianyungang wins on cost – living expenses run 76% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Lianyungang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 199% 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: $946 in Shanghai versus $276 in Lianyungang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Lianyungang runs roughly 106% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,280 in Shanghai versus $280 in Lianyungang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $687 in Lianyungang versus $1,212 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Lianyungang but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Lianyungang 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 Lianyungang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.