Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nanning Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nanning

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $736 in Nanning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,154 in Nanning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,573 in Nanning.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 70% more expensive than in Nanning, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Nanning 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$3.02 ¥20.27

44.37%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$20.62 ¥138

44.71%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$5.53 ¥37.11

-8.32%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.39 ¥16.05

41.42%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.54 ¥3.61

9.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.27 ¥1.79

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.93 ¥6.21

24.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.21 ¥14.80

7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$2.14 ¥14.38

-3.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$2.20 ¥14.77

-10.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$1.11 ¥7.42

-12.61%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.98 ¥13.29

-15.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$10.27 ¥68.9

64.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$4.03 ¥27.03

-15.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$17.25 ¥116

-23.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.80 ¥12.08

28.89%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.33 ¥8.92

31.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.47 ¥9.84

36.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.72 ¥11.53

1.74%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.92 ¥6.20

-10.87%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$1.18 ¥7.90

-15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.52 ¥3.52

25.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.63 ¥4.22

3.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$4.16 ¥27.88

6.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$15.10 ¥101

-26.03%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.90 ¥6.02

4.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.55 ¥10.42

0.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.53 ¥3.57

9.43%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$15.71 ¥105

87.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.33 ¥8.92

68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.46 ¥3.12

-6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$7.64 ¥51.2

14.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.22 ¥8.20

2.46%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$23.0K ¥154.3K

-14.43%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$13.6K ¥91.4K

33.91%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$33.81 ¥227

82.22%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$14.32 ¥96.1

-40.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$10.71 ¥71.9

-2.80%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$74.1 ¥497

-6.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$7.54 ¥50.6

117.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$6.52 ¥43.76

35.58%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$292 ¥1,957

374.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$4,482 ¥30.1K

502.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$19.42 ¥130

166.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$29.28 ¥196

29.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$64.8 ¥435

15.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$72.1 ¥484

46.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$252 ¥1,690

291.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$156 ¥1,048

266.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$372 ¥2,494

564.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$287 ¥1,923

317.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,534 ¥23.7K

286.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,552 ¥10.4K

296.27%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$673 ¥4,513

157.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.63

-7.71%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nanning: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $252 in Nanning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 158% 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: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $21.00 in Nanning. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $242, with Shanghai cheaper for home cooking.

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 Nanning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Nanning differ by about 70% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $736 including rent). Nanning is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 158% 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $252 in Nanning. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Nanning runs roughly 87% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $292 in Nanning. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $736 in Nanning versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nanning but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Nanning 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 Nanning gentler on the wallet – expenses run 70% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.