Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nanchong Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nanchong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,247 per month in Shanghai vs $680 in Nanchong, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,010 per month in Shanghai vs $1,108 in Nanchong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,773 per month in Shanghai vs $1,536 in Nanchong, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 83% more than Nanchong, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Nanchong are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Nanchong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$1.80 ¥12.09

142.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$22.37 ¥150

33.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$3.00 ¥20.15

69.00%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.07 ¥13.87

63.29%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.47 ¥3.14

25.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.31 ¥2.11

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$1.16 ¥7.75

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$1.74 ¥11.69

36.78%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.99 ¥13.33

4.02%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.56 ¥10.45

26.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.64 ¥4.29

51.56%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$2.11 ¥14.13

-20.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$17.58 ¥118

-3.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.41 ¥22.91

-0.59%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.05 ¥67.4

30.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.56 ¥10.47

48.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.33 ¥8.91

31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.18 ¥7.92

69.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.26 ¥8.47

38.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.62 ¥4.14

32.26%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.95 ¥6.40

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.82 ¥5.47

-20.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.66 ¥4.41

-1.52%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$2.94 ¥19.72

50.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$8.76 ¥58.8

27.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.81 ¥5.42

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.65 ¥11.10

-5.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.29 ¥1.97

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$18.23 ¥122

61.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$0.91 ¥6.09

146.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.92

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$3.01 ¥20.21

191.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.27 ¥8.52

-1.57%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.0K ¥127.5K

3.57%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$16.6K ¥111.3K

9.95%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$44.58 ¥299

38.20%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$7.19 ¥48.23

17.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$6.97 ¥46.76

49.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$40.66 ¥273

71.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$15.17 ¥102

7.98%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$6.00 ¥40.28

47.33%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$288 ¥1,934

379.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$25.1K ¥168.6K

7.41%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$39.01 ¥262

32.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$29.65 ¥199

27.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$64.3 ¥432

16.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$63.6 ¥427

65.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$291 ¥1,952

238.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$182 ¥1,220

214.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$610 ¥4,093

304.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$369 ¥2,476

224.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,642 ¥24.4K

274.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,908 ¥12.8K

222.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.34

0.30%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nanchong: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $985 in Shanghai versus $291 in Nanchong. 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 $30.00 in Shanghai versus $22.00 in Nanchong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $242 vs $213 – making Nanchong 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 Nanchong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai, $680 in Nanchong – roughly 83% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,871 per month in Shanghai and $1,021 in Nanchong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $1,383 per month in Shanghai and $288 in Nanchong. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 14% 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 Nanchong, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Shanghai at $1,247. In Nanchong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nanchong – 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 Nanchong. 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.