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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $681 in Maseru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,098 in Maseru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,515 in Maseru.

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

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Maseru 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$11.24 LSL 183

-56.41%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$24.79 LSL 404

46.43%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$10.96 LSL 179

-49.00%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$1.76 LSL 28.62

101.70%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$1.32 LSL 21.60

-56.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.75 LSL 12.21

-52.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$1.95 LSL 31.73

-26.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$2.22 LSL 36.13

28.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$0.99 LSL 16.19

118.18%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$0.71 LSL 11.61

150.70%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$2.18 LSL 35.55

-49.54%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$1.37 LSL 22.41

23.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$7.17 LSL 117

113.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$5.56 LSL 90.6

-43.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$5.71 LSL 93.0

88.44%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.66 LSL 27.14

36.14%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$2.10 LSL 34.27

-20.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$2.53 LSL 41.31

-28.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$2.18 LSL 35.52

-29.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$1.49 LSL 24.23

-45.64%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$1.51 LSL 24.67

-26.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$1.37 LSL 22.26

-50.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.78 LSL 12.77

-28.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$4.85 LSL 79.1

-41.44%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$7.26 LSL 118

59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.96 LSL 15.70

-17.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.44 LSL 23.44

13.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.70 LSL 11.37

-38.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$28.09 LSL 458

22.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$0.64 LSL 10.51

245.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.61 LSL 10.01

-37.70%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$10.04 LSL 164

-16.53%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.14 LSL 18.63

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$20.0K LSL 325.5K

-2.14%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$15.3K LSL 249.8K

18.42%

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

$52.8 ¥357

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$13.60 LSL 222

-37.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$31.41 LSL 512

-55.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$21.63 LSL 353

117.38%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$48.66 LSL 793

2577.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$1,124 LSL 18.3K

2709.50%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$43.80 LSL 714

36.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$39.16 LSL 638

-2.73%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$98.9 LSL 1,611

-20.30%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$139 LSL 2,268

-28.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$140 LSL 2,279

566.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$72.5 LSL 1,181

686.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$396 LSL 6,458

528.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$157 LSL 2,561

658.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$386 LSL 6,296

3521.64%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$528 LSL 8,605

1174.76%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$643 LSL 10.5K

162.82%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Maseru: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $140 in Maseru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 163% 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 $225 vs $184 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 ($1,209 vs $681 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 163% 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $140 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 $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $681 in Maseru – a 78% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $681 in Maseru versus $1,209 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.