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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $680 in Nanning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,077 in Nanning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,474 in Nanning.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 78% more expensive than Nanning, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Nanning 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.17

$2.82 ¥19.06

73.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$19.05 ¥129

90.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.83

$5.16 ¥34.92

8.33%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.03

$2.27 ¥15.35

56.39%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.54 ¥3.67

5.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.83

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$0.87 ¥5.91

64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.25

$2.35 ¥15.93

21.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.60

$1.78 ¥12.07

21.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.10 ¥7.41

61.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.02 ¥6.93

7.84%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.44

$1.61 ¥10.91

4.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$9.52 ¥64.4

60.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.12

$3.28 ¥22.21

-4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.8

$14.68 ¥99.3

-26.70%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.29

$1.89 ¥12.78

19.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.06 ¥7.15

57.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.19 ¥8.03

51.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.66 ¥11.20

-7.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.84 ¥5.68

-3.57%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$1.09 ¥7.35

1.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.44 ¥2.95

54.55%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.50 ¥3.42

12.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.19

$3.53 ¥23.90

-19.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$14.79 ¥100

-21.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.86 ¥5.80

-8.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.78 ¥12.04

-7.87%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.47 ¥3.19

-8.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$14.56 ¥98.5

136.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.92

$1.22 ¥8.26

81.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.40 ¥2.69

-5.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$7.46 ¥50.5

12.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

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

$19.5K ¥132.2K

$21.2K ¥143.7K

-8.03%

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

$18.1K ¥122.8K

$12.7K ¥85.7K

43.20%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$39.49 ¥267

33.73%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$13.41 ¥90.8

-36.39%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$10.80 ¥73.1

28.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$69.6 ¥471

-32.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$7.09 ¥47.94

179.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$5.67 ¥38.36

49.21%

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

$1,303 ¥8,813

$302 ¥2,042

331.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.6K

$13.8K ¥93.4K

128.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$18.63 ¥126

219.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$27.44 ¥186

38.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$64.7 ¥438

21.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$105 ¥707

-5.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,309

$231 ¥1,560

304.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,856

$144 ¥976

295.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$350 ¥2,367

611.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,066

$269 ¥1,819

343.41%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$3,474 ¥23.5K

302.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,423 ¥9,627

372.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$660 ¥4,464

155.89%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Nanning: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $231 in Nanning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 156% 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 $225 vs $207 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 78% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $680 including rent). Nanning is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 156% 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 $231 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 136% less than in Shanghai. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $302 in Nanning. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $680 in Nanning versus $1,209 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 78% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.