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: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $688 in Nanning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,096 in Nanning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,504 in Nanning.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 73% more expensive than in Nanning, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Nanning 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$2.72 ¥18.36

73.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$19.41 ¥131

85.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$5.33 ¥36.03

7.69%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$2.28 ¥15.39

54.39%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.54 ¥3.67

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.27 ¥1.84

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.87 ¥5.91

56.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.23 ¥15.10

27.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.72 ¥11.63

22.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.10 ¥7.45

63.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.98 ¥6.64

7.14%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.55 ¥10.49

8.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$9.34 ¥63.1

68.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.35 ¥22.66

-5.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$15.20 ¥103

-27.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.87 ¥12.66

27.27%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.10 ¥7.41

53.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.25 ¥8.47

42.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.64 ¥11.05

-11.59%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.87 ¥5.87

-4.60%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.08 ¥7.28

4.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.46 ¥3.11

47.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.50 ¥3.40

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.41 ¥23.03

-17.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$14.62 ¥98.8

-19.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.84 ¥5.69

-7.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.80 ¥12.15

-12.78%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.48 ¥3.21

-14.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$14.42 ¥97.4

143.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.28 ¥8.63

76.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.36 ¥2.45

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$7.68 ¥51.9

6.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.14 ¥7.70

0.88%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$21.0K ¥142.1K

-8.26%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$12.4K ¥83.9K

42.76%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$39.32 ¥266

34.84%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$13.30 ¥89.9

-34.06%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.15 ¥75.4

23.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$69.3 ¥468

-34.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$7.07 ¥47.81

182.89%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$5.65 ¥38.19

46.90%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$297 ¥2,007

325.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$13.9K ¥93.7K

128.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$18.76 ¥127

207.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$28.07 ¥190

35.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$64.6 ¥437

19.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$103 ¥698

-6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$235 ¥1,588

306.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$146 ¥983

281.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$356 ¥2,408

600.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$273 ¥1,847

341.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$3,397 ¥23.0K

320.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,447 ¥9,781

357.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$659 ¥4,450

158.40%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.18

-14.35%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Nanning: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $235 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: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $19.00 in Nanning for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $208 per month, with Nanning 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 Nanning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Nanning differ by about 73% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $688 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $235 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 143% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $297 in Nanning. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $688 in Nanning versus $1,192 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 73% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.