Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Mudanjiang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Mudanjiang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,192 per month in Shanghai vs $708 in Mudanjiang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Shanghai vs $1,119 in Mudanjiang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,724 per month in Shanghai vs $1,530 in Mudanjiang, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 68% more than Mudanjiang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Mudanjiang are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Mudanjiang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$2.87 ¥19.38

64.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$12.68 ¥85.7

183.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$5.46 ¥36.89

5.13%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$2.96 ¥19.98

18.92%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.40 ¥2.69

42.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.29 ¥1.99

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.87 ¥5.86

56.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.05 ¥13.88

38.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.83 ¥12.36

14.75%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.54 ¥10.39

16.88%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.95 ¥6.43

10.53%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.56 ¥10.52

7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$12.82 ¥86.6

23.09%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.06 ¥20.70

3.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$10.24 ¥69.2

7.62%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.80 ¥12.15

32.22%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.21 ¥8.18

39.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.37 ¥9.26

29.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.10 ¥7.40

31.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.69 ¥4.64

20.29%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.98 ¥6.61

15.31%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.60 ¥4.04

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.56 ¥3.76

7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.06 ¥20.70

-7.84%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$11.47 ¥77.5

2.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.74 ¥4.98

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.65 ¥11.12

-4.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$17.04 ¥115

105.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.37 ¥9.22

64.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.33 ¥2.20

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$6.71 ¥45.31

21.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.13 ¥7.63

1.77%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$19.3K ¥130.4K

-0.02%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$16.7K ¥113.1K

5.92%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$46.54 ¥314

13.92%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$9.56 ¥64.6

-8.26%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.67 ¥78.8

18.08%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$40.97 ¥277

10.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$14.03 ¥94.8

42.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$6.42 ¥43.39

29.28%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$332 ¥2,247

280.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$16.7K ¥112.7K

89.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$42.96 ¥290

34.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$30.39 ¥205

24.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$72.5 ¥490

6.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$75.2 ¥508

28.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$280 ¥1,892

241.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$187 ¥1,263

196.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$591 ¥3,991

322.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$367 ¥2,477

229.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$2,915 ¥19.7K

390.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$2,014 ¥13.6K

228.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Mudanjiang: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $955 in Shanghai versus $280 in Mudanjiang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai versus $13.00 in Mudanjiang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $198 – making Mudanjiang 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 Mudanjiang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai costs about 68% more than Mudanjiang, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,788 per month in Shanghai and $1,062 in Mudanjiang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,192 in Shanghai and $708 in Mudanjiang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 106% less in Mudanjiang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Mudanjiang, where all-in costs run around $708, than in Shanghai at $1,192. In Mudanjiang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Mudanjiang – 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 Mudanjiang. 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.