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: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $699 in Maseru.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,161 in Maseru.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,624 in Maseru.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 79% more expensive than in Maseru, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Maseru 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$9.28 LSL 149

-53.02%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$24.64 LSL 395

21.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$8.65 LSL 139

-41.39%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.12 LSL 33.93

59.43%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$1.08 LSL 17.36

-45.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.85 LSL 13.68

-57.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$1.92 LSL 30.72

-39.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.53 LSL 40.63

-5.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.22 LSL 19.51

69.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$0.82 LSL 13.11

140.24%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$1.84 LSL 29.52

-47.28%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.61 LSL 25.83

4.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$7.03 LSL 113

140.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$6.22 LSL 99.8

-45.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$6.20 LSL 99.4

112.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.97 LSL 31.60

17.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$2.35 LSL 37.67

-25.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$2.76 LSL 44.29

-27.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$2.42 LSL 38.85

-27.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$1.57 LSL 25.12

-47.77%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$1.64 LSL 26.25

-39.02%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$1.53 LSL 24.56

-57.52%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.84 LSL 13.54

-22.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$5.35 LSL 85.7

-17.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$7.42 LSL 119

50.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$1.12 LSL 17.99

-16.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.59 LSL 25.46

-1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.84 LSL 13.41

-30.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$30.97 LSL 497

-4.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$0.72 LSL 11.60

211.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.66 LSL 10.57

-34.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$3.77 LSL 60.5

132.63%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.32 LSL 21.22

-5.30%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$21.8K LSL 350.4K

-9.90%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$17.0K LSL 272.2K

7.47%

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

$61.6 ¥413

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$15.02 LSL 241

-43.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$39.11 LSL 627

-73.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$23.99 LSL 385

190.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$53.2 LSL 854

2498.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$1,216 LSL 19.5K

2119.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$46.93 LSL 753

10.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$56.9 LSL 912

-33.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$107 LSL 1,723

-30.24%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$154 LSL 2,462

-31.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$94.6 LSL 1,518

940.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$56.3 LSL 904

915.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$452 LSL 7,245

446.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$178 LSL 2,851

573.62%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$395 LSL 6,338

3356.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$537 LSL 8,605

1046.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$647 LSL 10.4K

167.94%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

8.5

-60.59%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Maseru: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $94.6 in Maseru. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 168% 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: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $25.00 in Maseru for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $200 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 79% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $699 including rent). Maseru is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 168% 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $94.6 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 $30.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Shanghai versus $699 in Maseru – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $699 in Maseru versus $1,247 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 79% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.