Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Maseru Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Maseru

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $670 in Maseru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,115 in Maseru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,561 in Maseru.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 78% more expensive than in Maseru, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Maseru 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$11.12 LSL 182

-57.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$24.74 LSL 406

45.19%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$11.04 LSL 181

-48.01%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$1.80 LSL 29.47

95.56%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$1.27 LSL 20.90

-55.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.80 LSL 13.07

-58.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$1.99 LSL 32.62

-31.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.21 LSL 36.23

28.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$0.99 LSL 16.16

112.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$0.76 LSL 12.47

136.84%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$2.20 LSL 36.09

-52.27%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.35 LSL 22.18

24.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$6.93 LSL 114

127.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$5.64 LSL 92.6

-43.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$5.54 LSL 90.8

98.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.61 LSL 26.41

47.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$2.05 LSL 33.64

-17.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$2.47 LSL 40.58

-27.94%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$2.21 LSL 36.30

-34.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$1.42 LSL 23.36

-41.55%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.47 LSL 24.12

-23.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$1.32 LSL 21.61

-48.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.85 LSL 13.90

-29.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$4.89 LSL 80.3

-42.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$7.08 LSL 116

65.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$1.01 LSL 16.62

-22.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.37 LSL 22.54

14.60%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.71 LSL 11.60

-42.25%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$27.72 LSL 455

26.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$0.64 LSL 10.49

253.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.63 LSL 10.30

-41.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$10.12 LSL 166

-19.17%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.14 LSL 18.77

0.88%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$19.9K LSL 325.9K

-2.93%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$15.3K LSL 251.2K

15.72%

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

$53.0 ¥358

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$13.53 LSL 222

-35.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$31.63 LSL 519

-56.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$21.63 LSL 355

109.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$47.85 LSL 785

2541.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$1,104 LSL 18.1K

2768.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$42.18 LSL 692

36.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$38.98 LSL 639

-2.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$97.7 LSL 1,602

-21.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$138 LSL 2,266

-29.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$143 LSL 2,338

570.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$71.6 LSL 1,174

675.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$402 LSL 6,586

521.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$159 LSL 2,603

660.32%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$391 LSL 6,415

3553.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$533 LSL 8,733

1144.20%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$631 LSL 10.3K

169.75%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

8.5

-57.88%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Maseru: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $143 in Maseru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 170% 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 $25.00 in Maseru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $183 per month, with Maseru 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 Maseru: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Maseru differ by about 78% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $670 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 170% 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 $143 in Maseru. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Maseru – a meal for two runs $25.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Shanghai versus $670 in Maseru – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $670 in Maseru versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Maseru but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Maseru 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 Maseru gentler on the wallet – expenses run 78% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.