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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $830 in Nanjing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,302 in Nanjing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,773 in Nanjing.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 46% more expensive than Nanjing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Nanjing 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.19

$2.72 ¥18.42

80.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$22.36 ¥151

62.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.86

$4.80 ¥32.48

16.46%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.04

$3.12 ¥21.15

13.78%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.45 ¥3.03

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.24 ¥1.62

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$0.82 ¥5.58

74.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.26

$2.06 ¥13.93

38.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.61

$2.33 ¥15.76

-7.30%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$2.16 ¥14.65

-17.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.77 ¥5.22

42.86%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.44

$1.49 ¥10.12

13.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$9.23 ¥62.5

65.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.14

$2.75 ¥18.63

13.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.8

$8.96 ¥60.6

20.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.30

$2.22 ¥15.02

1.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.32

$1.42 ¥9.63

17.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.63 ¥11.04

10.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.20 ¥8.12

27.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.92 ¥6.23

-11.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$0.91 ¥6.17

21.98%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.83 ¥5.59

-18.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.57 ¥3.86

-1.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$3.52 ¥23.82

-19.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$13.05 ¥88.3

-11.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.92 ¥6.20

-14.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.51 ¥10.20

8.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.82

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$27.67 ¥187

24.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.93

$1.57 ¥10.60

40.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.36 ¥2.43

5.56%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$8.41 ¥56.9

-0.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.13 ¥7.61

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$17.0K ¥114.8K

15.19%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$14.7K ¥99.2K

23.82%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$42.34 ¥287

24.73%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$10.72 ¥72.6

-20.43%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$10.92 ¥73.9

26.74%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$26.44 ¥179

77.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$29.37 ¥199

-32.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$5.41 ¥36.65

56.38%

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

$1,303 ¥8,817

$406 ¥2,748

220.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.7K

$18.5K ¥125.0K

70.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$42.23 ¥286

41.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$33.05 ¥224

15.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$67.2 ¥455

17.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$84.6 ¥573

17.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,313

$425 ¥2,880

119.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,858

$300 ¥2,029

90.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$911 ¥6,169

173.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,070

$541 ¥3,664

120.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$5,311 ¥35.9K

163.39%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$3,154 ¥21.3K

113.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,388 ¥9,395

21.67%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nanjing: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $425 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: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $22.00 in Nanjing for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $203 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 46% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 22% more on average, 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $425 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 $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $830 in Nanjing – a 46% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $830 in Nanjing versus $1,209 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 46% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.