Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Longyan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Longyan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Shanghai vs $455 in Longyan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Shanghai vs $753 in Longyan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Shanghai vs $1,052 in Longyan, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 168% more than Longyan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Shanghai and Longyan are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Longyan 67% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.27

$3.03 ¥20.32

49.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$21.97 ¥147

33.27%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.27

$5.23 ¥35.04

0.57%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.31

$2.25 ¥15.06

41.33%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$0.49 ¥3.27

26.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.27 ¥1.79

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.85 ¥5.70

37.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.34

$1.67 ¥11.22

64.07%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$2.07 ¥13.87

-8.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.46 ¥9.81

29.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$0.71 ¥4.75

43.66%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.90

$1.51 ¥10.14

7.95%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$7.33 ¥49.14

134.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.21

$2.96 ¥19.83

6.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$9.26 ¥62.1

41.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.86 ¥12.47

14.52%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.31 ¥8.79

38.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.70 ¥11.37

16.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.12 ¥7.48

43.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.85 ¥5.67

-9.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.99 ¥6.60

-9.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.43 ¥2.89

53.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.52 ¥3.51

17.31%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.43

$3.26 ¥21.87

16.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.5

$12.10 ¥81.1

-14.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$0.77 ¥5.14

14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.41

$1.16 ¥7.77

33.62%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.13 ¥0.86

353.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.06 ¥7.11

103.77%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.89

$0.47 ¥3.13

-8.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.6

$7.61 ¥51.0

18.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.22 ¥8.14

3.28%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$19.4K ¥129.9K

0.29%

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

$18.7K ¥125.3K

$15.3K ¥102.6K

22.09%

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

$57.5 ¥386

$65.1 ¥436

-11.65%

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

$8.41 ¥56.4

$15.70 ¥105

-46.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$9.09 ¥60.9

10.89%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$4.51 ¥30.21

283.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$7.29 ¥48.86

23.18%

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

$1,411 ¥9,455

$208 ¥1,395

577.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.2K

$11.9K ¥79.5K

137.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$29.86 ¥200

74.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥251

$14.78 ¥99.0

152.98%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥494

$75.7 ¥507

-2.66%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$95.9 ¥643

9.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,577

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,787

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$376 ¥2,516

544.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,810

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$1,321 ¥8,849

363.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$499 ¥3,341

249.50%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

3.22

4.97%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Longyan: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 249% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Shanghai versus $22.00 in Longyan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $181 – making Longyan the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Longyan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,219 in Shanghai, $455 in Longyan – roughly 168% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,829 per month in Shanghai and $683 in Longyan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Shanghai and $22.00 in Longyan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 30% more in Shanghai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Longyan, where all-in costs run around $455, than in Shanghai at $1,219. In Longyan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Longyan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Longyan. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.