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: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $838 in Nanjing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,314 in Nanjing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,791 in Nanjing.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 42% more expensive than in Nanjing, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Nanjing 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$2.86 ¥19.32

65.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$22.34 ¥151

60.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$4.79 ¥32.36

19.83%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$3.17 ¥21.45

11.04%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.41 ¥2.77

39.02%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.26 ¥1.76

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.86 ¥5.81

58.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.04 ¥13.76

39.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$2.31 ¥15.62

-9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$2.16 ¥14.57

-16.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.83 ¥5.59

26.51%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.54 ¥10.39

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$8.92 ¥60.3

76.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$2.73 ¥18.46

16.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$9.14 ¥61.8

20.57%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$2.22 ¥15.02

7.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.38 ¥9.33

22.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.61 ¥10.86

10.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.15 ¥7.78

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.86 ¥5.83

-3.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.97 ¥6.58

16.49%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.87 ¥5.87

-21.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.61 ¥4.12

-1.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.58 ¥24.22

-21.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$13.08 ¥88.4

-10.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.92 ¥6.24

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.49 ¥10.04

5.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$27.63 ¥187

26.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.56 ¥10.57

44.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.36 ¥2.41

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$8.27 ¥55.9

-1.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.17 ¥7.90

-1.71%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$17.4K ¥117.6K

10.86%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$14.6K ¥98.8K

21.21%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$42.14 ¥285

25.82%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$11.04 ¥74.6

-20.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.01 ¥74.4

25.16%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$26.17 ¥177

73.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$28.55 ¥193

-29.95%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$5.47 ¥36.96

51.74%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$410 ¥2,768

208.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$18.5K ¥125.0K

71.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$42.77 ¥289

34.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$32.33 ¥218

17.32%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$69.3 ¥468

11.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$84.4 ¥570

14.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$428 ¥2,891

123.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$308 ¥2,080

80.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$888 ¥6,000

181.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$552 ¥3,729

118.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$5,328 ¥36.0K

168.25%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$3,074 ¥20.8K

115.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$1,341 ¥9,063

26.89%

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 Nanjing: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $428 in Nanjing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 27% 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 $228 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 42% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 27% 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $428 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 $1,192 per month in Shanghai versus $838 in Nanjing – a 42% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $838 in Nanjing versus $1,192 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 42% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.