Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Maoming Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Maoming

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Shanghai vs $679 in Maoming, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,972 per month in Shanghai vs $1,096 in Maoming, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,750 per month in Shanghai vs $1,514 in Maoming, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 76% more than Maoming, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Maoming are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Maoming 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ¥33.95

$2.04 ¥13.95

143.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥247

$21.26 ¥145

70.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥37.04

$3.90 ¥26.65

38.97%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.31

$2.97 ¥20.30

19.87%

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

$0.53 ¥3.64

$0.46 ¥3.11

15.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.28

$0.27 ¥1.83

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.23

$0.93 ¥6.38

45.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.87

$2.07 ¥14.17

33.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ¥14.54

$1.58 ¥10.80

34.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥12.58

$1.54 ¥10.51

19.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.19

$0.92 ¥6.27

14.13%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.45

$1.57 ¥10.75

7.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ¥106

$13.04 ¥89.1

19.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥22.13

$3.10 ¥21.18

4.52%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥74.0

$10.39 ¥71.0

4.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.22

$1.73 ¥11.83

36.99%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.57

$1.26 ¥8.63

34.13%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.40 ¥9.57

28.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.09

$1.08 ¥7.36

37.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.83

$0.73 ¥4.97

16.44%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$0.91 ¥6.24

28.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.25

$0.56 ¥3.83

10.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.54 ¥3.71

12.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.17

$3.09 ¥21.09

-9.06%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$10.19 ¥69.6

16.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.38

$0.75 ¥5.14

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.72

$1.60 ¥10.94

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.29 ¥2.00

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.93 ¥239

$17.00 ¥116

105.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.33

$1.41 ¥9.65

58.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.32 ¥2.22

18.75%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ¥56.2

$6.57 ¥44.88

25.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.13 ¥7.74

1.77%

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

$19.9K ¥135.8K

$19.5K ¥133.0K

2.13%

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

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$16.5K ¥112.5K

8.26%

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

$52.2 ¥357

$45.91 ¥314

13.70%

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

$8.70 ¥59.4

$10.08 ¥68.8

-13.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 ¥92.7

$11.42 ¥78.0

18.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 ¥316

$31.14 ¥213

48.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 ¥140

$13.97 ¥95.4

46.39%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.5

$6.09 ¥41.59

35.63%

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

$1,266 ¥8,649

$340 ¥2,319

272.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K ¥218.2K

$17.0K ¥116.3K

87.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥408

$43.12 ¥295

38.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 ¥261

$30.51 ¥208

25.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥527

$70.9 ¥484

8.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ¥657

$74.2 ¥507

29.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ¥6,478

$283 ¥1,933

235.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,908

$187 ¥1,278

205.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 ¥16.9K

$599 ¥4,094

312.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,239

$354 ¥2,415

241.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥96.2K

$2,989 ¥20.4K

371.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,213 ¥49.3K

$2,139 ¥14.6K

237.24%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

$1,012 ¥6,914

66.13%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Maoming: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Shanghai versus $283 in Maoming. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 66% 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 $36 in Shanghai versus $21 in Maoming. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $194 – making Maoming 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 Maoming: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 76%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,790 per month in Shanghai and $1,018 in Maoming. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Maoming, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 17% 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 mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai and $21.00 in Maoming. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Maoming, where all-in costs run around $679, than in Shanghai at $1,194. In Maoming it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Maoming – 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 Maoming. 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.