Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Mianyang, Sichuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Mianyang, Sichuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Shanghai vs $687 in Mianyang, Sichuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,973 per month in Shanghai vs $1,061 in Mianyang, Sichuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,733 per month in Shanghai vs $1,435 in Mianyang, Sichuan, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 76% more than Mianyang, Sichuan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shanghai and Mianyang, Sichuan are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Mianyang, Sichuan 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.71

$2.85 ¥19.23

75.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$16.59 ¥112

116.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.32

$4.75 ¥31.99

16.63%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.80

$2.84 ¥19.17

24.30%

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

$0.57 ¥3.86

$0.44 ¥2.96

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.29 ¥1.96

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.44

$1.14 ¥7.69

22.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.61

$2.14 ¥14.43

28.97%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.75

$1.36 ¥9.14

61.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.09

$1.44 ¥9.73

24.31%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.45

$0.90 ¥6.08

22.22%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.24

$1.87 ¥12.60

-10.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$13.88 ¥93.6

9.80%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.81

$3.42 ¥23.06

-9.65%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥74.9

$11.16 ¥75.2

-0.54%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.84

$1.86 ¥12.56

26.34%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.81

$1.17 ¥7.90

49.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥11.98

$1.44 ¥9.69

23.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$1.07 ¥7.19

36.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.65 ¥4.36

23.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.46

$0.76 ¥5.14

46.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.30

$0.59 ¥3.96

8.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.62 ¥4.16

-3.23%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.18

$3.33 ¥22.42

-14.41%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.0

$5.53 ¥37.27

111.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$0.84 ¥5.66

-4.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.91

$1.22 ¥8.22

32.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.73

$0.27 ¥1.80

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$16.67 ¥112

106.18%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.74

$1.01 ¥6.79

116.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.24 ¥1.62

58.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.7

$4.27 ¥28.77

89.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.32

$1.17 ¥7.88

-6.84%

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

$19.8K ¥133.6K

$18.7K ¥125.8K

6.14%

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

$17.8K ¥119.8K

$16.1K ¥108.2K

10.69%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$44.43 ¥299

18.05%

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

$8.46 ¥57.1

$6.29 ¥42.38

34.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.5

$11.58 ¥78.0

17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥310

$41.30 ¥278

11.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥134

$14.05 ¥94.7

41.99%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.6

$5.15 ¥34.72

60.19%

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

$1,280 ¥8,631

$341 ¥2,295

276.00%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥209.9K

$12.5K ¥84.1K

149.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$37.71 ¥254

57.20%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥256

$38.04 ¥256

-0.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥520

$55.5 ¥374

39.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥653

$49.98 ¥337

93.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,377

$281 ¥1,897

236.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,738

$189 ¥1,272

193.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$595 ¥4,012

312.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,093

$366 ¥2,470

227.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.1K

$2,621 ¥17.7K

438.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.8K

$1,751 ¥11.8K

279.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.7K

$723 ¥4,877

140.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.1

15.48%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 26, 2026

Last update for Mianyang, Sichuan: July 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Shanghai versus $281 in Mianyang, Sichuan. 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 141% 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $17.00 in Mianyang, Sichuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $190 – making Mianyang, Sichuan 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 Mianyang, Sichuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,212 in Shanghai, $687 in Mianyang, Sichuan – roughly 76% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,818 per month in Shanghai and $1,031 in Mianyang, Sichuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,280 per month in Shanghai and $341 in Mianyang, Sichuan. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Mianyang, Sichuan, where all-in costs run around $687, than in Shanghai at $1,212. In Mianyang, Sichuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mianyang, Sichuan – 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 Mianyang, Sichuan. 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.