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: $1,194 in Shanghai versus $699 in Lianyungang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,972 in Shanghai versus $1,067 in Lianyungang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Shanghai versus $1,436 in Lianyungang.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 71% more expensive than Lianyungang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Lianyungang 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ¥33.95

$3.39 ¥23.16

46.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥247

$11.10 ¥75.8

225.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥37.04

$4.54 ¥31.02

19.38%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.31

$1.65 ¥11.30

115.76%

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

$0.53 ¥3.64

$0.40 ¥2.73

32.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.28

$0.29 ¥1.96

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.23

$0.68 ¥4.67

98.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.87

$2.12 ¥14.50

30.19%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ¥14.54

$2.00 ¥13.64

6.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥12.58

$1.07 ¥7.30

71.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.19

$0.95 ¥6.52

10.53%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.45

$1.66 ¥11.33

1.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ¥106

$14.73 ¥101

5.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥22.13

$4.06 ¥27.73

-20.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥74.0

$9.31 ¥63.6

16.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.22

$1.08 ¥7.41

119.44%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.57

$0.54 ¥3.68

212.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$0.86 ¥5.84

109.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.09

$0.44 ¥3.01

236.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.83

$0.73 ¥5.01

16.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$0.41 ¥2.78

185.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.25

$0.29 ¥1.99

113.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.41 ¥2.78

48.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.17

$3.94 ¥26.92

-28.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$14.38 ¥98.2

-17.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.38

$1.00 ¥6.86

-21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.72

$1.59 ¥10.84

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.27 ¥1.84

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.93 ¥239

$16.74 ¥114

108.66%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.33

$1.08 ¥7.38

107.41%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.34 ¥2.34

11.76%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ¥56.2

$7.53 ¥51.4

9.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.08 ¥7.40

6.48%

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

$19.9K ¥135.8K

$20.4K ¥139.4K

-2.61%

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

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$13.4K ¥91.7K

32.82%

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

$52.2 ¥357

$51.5 ¥352

1.38%

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

$8.70 ¥59.4

$10.80 ¥73.8

-19.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 ¥92.7

$8.47 ¥57.8

60.33%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 ¥316

$42.47 ¥290

9.04%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 ¥140

$13.77 ¥94.0

48.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.5

$4.20 ¥28.71

96.67%

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

$1,266 ¥8,649

$284 ¥1,940

345.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K ¥218.2K

$17.0K ¥116.0K

88.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥408

$22.42 ¥153

166.59%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 ¥261

$23.33 ¥159

63.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥527

$58.4 ¥399

32.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ¥657

$103 ¥703

-6.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ¥6,478

$274 ¥1,872

246.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,908

$185 ¥1,265

208.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 ¥16.9K

$597 ¥4,075

314.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,239

$356 ¥2,432

238.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥96.2K

$3,181 ¥21.7K

342.85%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,213 ¥49.3K

$2,117 ¥14.5K

240.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

$589 ¥4,020

185.69%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Lianyungang: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Shanghai and $274 in Lianyungang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 186% 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 in Shanghai vs $11 in Lianyungang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $194 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 71% 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.

Shanghai pays 186% 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: $948 in Shanghai versus $274 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 109% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,266 in Shanghai versus $284 in Lianyungang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $699 in Lianyungang versus $1,194 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 71% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.