Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Luoyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Luoyang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $619 in Luoyang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $987 in Luoyang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,354 in Luoyang.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 93% more expensive than in Luoyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Luoyang 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$3.43 ¥23.21

37.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$27.35 ¥185

31.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$5.13 ¥34.66

11.89%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$3.35 ¥22.65

5.07%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.40 ¥2.71

42.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.23 ¥1.55

43.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$1.20 ¥8.10

13.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.78 ¥18.76

2.16%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.74 ¥11.73

20.69%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$2.05 ¥13.88

-12.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.94 ¥6.34

11.70%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.39 ¥9.42

20.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$12.59 ¥85.1

25.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.17 ¥21.42

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$8.26 ¥55.8

33.41%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$0.89 ¥6.01

167.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.21 ¥8.18

39.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.37 ¥9.24

29.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.09 ¥7.37

33.03%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.69 ¥4.66

20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.96 ¥6.48

17.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.44 ¥2.97

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.73 ¥4.96

-17.81%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$1.59 ¥10.71

77.36%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$13.33 ¥90.1

-11.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.40 ¥2.74

95.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.99 ¥13.47

-21.11%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$17.01 ¥115

106.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.09 ¥7.38

107.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.32 ¥2.18

15.62%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$6.59 ¥44.55

24.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.17 ¥7.94

-1.71%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$19.5K ¥131.8K

-1.13%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$16.5K ¥111.4K

7.53%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$40.16 ¥271

32.02%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$5.72 ¥38.64

53.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$9.63 ¥65.1

43.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$20.63 ¥139

120.16%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$11.33 ¥76.6

76.52%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$5.08 ¥34.31

63.39%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$184 ¥1,246

585.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$17.3K ¥116.8K

83.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$45.95 ¥311

25.55%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$27.67 ¥187

37.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$61.1 ¥413

26.02%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$74.3 ¥502

30.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$173 ¥1,169

452.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$116 ¥786

376.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$406 ¥2,746

514.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$212 ¥1,433

469.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$2,069 ¥14.0K

590.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,382 ¥9,337

379.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$621 ¥4,195

174.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.45

-19.55%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Luoyang: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $173 in Luoyang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 174% 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 $27.00 in Luoyang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $195 per month, with Luoyang 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 Luoyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Luoyang wins on cost – living expenses run 93% lower than in Shanghai. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Luoyang the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Average pay runs 174% 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $173 in Luoyang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $184 in Luoyang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 16% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $619 in Luoyang versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Luoyang but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Luoyang 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 Luoyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 93% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.