Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nanjing Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nanjing

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,236 in Shanghai versus $833 in Nanjing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Shanghai versus $1,329 in Nanjing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,717 in Shanghai versus $1,826 in Nanjing.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 48% more expensive than in Nanjing, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Nanjing 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.52

$3.82 ¥25.55

19.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 ¥198

$22.06 ¥148

33.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.98

$4.92 ¥32.93

9.15%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.49

$3.10 ¥20.76

3.55%

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

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.53 ¥3.52

15.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.27 ¥1.82

40.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.13

$1.50 ¥10.06

-19.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥18.15

$2.18 ¥14.62

24.31%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$2.16 ¥14.45

-9.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$2.06 ¥13.78

-10.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.96

$0.85 ¥5.71

22.35%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.49

$1.36 ¥9.13

15.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ¥117

$10.63 ¥71.2

64.53%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ¥22.23

$2.97 ¥19.86

11.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$8.66 ¥58.0

56.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.20

$2.16 ¥14.48

-1.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.28 ¥8.58

38.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.33

$1.72 ¥11.53

15.70%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.11 ¥7.42

59.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.44

$0.89 ¥5.97

-8.99%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$0.96 ¥6.42

5.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.88 ¥5.88

-20.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.44

$0.56 ¥3.72

17.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.46

$3.77 ¥25.24

0.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.0

$13.47 ¥90.2

-23.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.27

$0.97 ¥6.50

-3.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.58

$1.49 ¥9.96

6.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$0.31 ¥2.11

90.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.87 ¥200

$30.05 ¥201

-0.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.83

$1.66 ¥11.15

33.13%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.41 ¥2.77

14.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ¥60.0

$8.70 ¥58.3

2.87%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.54

$1.32 ¥8.83

-3.03%

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

$19.6K ¥131.0K

$19.6K ¥131.4K

-0.29%

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

$19.0K ¥127.1K

$16.4K ¥109.6K

16.01%

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

$59.3 ¥397

$54.0 ¥362

9.89%

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

$8.62 ¥57.7

$7.86 ¥52.6

9.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 ¥66.3

$7.06 ¥47.26

40.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ¥439

$28.73 ¥192

128.23%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 ¥110

$33.67 ¥226

-51.14%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ¥60.9

$5.79 ¥38.77

56.99%

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

$1,439 ¥9,638

$1,486 ¥9,953

-3.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ¥172.6K

$22.3K ¥149.5K

15.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ¥355

$42.04 ¥282

26.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.80 ¥253

$34.04 ¥228

11.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥497

$64.6 ¥432

15.01%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ¥720

$88.5 ¥593

21.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 ¥6,743

$541 ¥3,622

86.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,781

$296 ¥1,982

90.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 ¥16.1K

$1,132 ¥7,578

112.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 ¥8,120

$561 ¥3,756

116.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥92.5K

$5,069 ¥33.9K

172.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,147 ¥41.2K

$3,094 ¥20.7K

98.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$1,424 ¥9,537

21.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.42

-1.75%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Last update for Nanjing: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,007 in Shanghai and $541 in Nanjing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 22% 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: $29.00 in Shanghai vs $22.00 in Nanjing for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $204 per month, with Nanjing 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 Nanjing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanjing is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 48% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 22% 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: $1,007 in Shanghai versus $541 in Nanjing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Nanjing – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $29.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,236 per month in Shanghai versus $833 in Nanjing – a 48% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $833 in Nanjing versus $1,236 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Nanjing but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Nanjing 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 Nanjing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 48% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.