Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nantong Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nantong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $608 in Nantong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,012 in Nantong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,416 in Nantong.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 96% more expensive than in Nantong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Nantong 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.97

$2.71 ¥18.36

74.17%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$22.07 ¥149

62.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.81

$4.40 ¥29.78

30.45%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.80

$2.65 ¥17.91

32.83%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.44 ¥3.01

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.26 ¥1.76

26.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.20

$0.72 ¥4.90

88.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$2.07 ¥13.99

37.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.20

$1.51 ¥10.24

39.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$1.42 ¥9.60

26.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.13

$0.64 ¥4.35

64.06%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.35

$1.49 ¥10.05

12.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$6.23 ¥42.13

153.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$2.70 ¥18.27

17.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.6

$9.17 ¥62.1

20.17%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.08

$2.15 ¥14.55

10.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.47

$1.44 ¥9.73

17.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$1.63 ¥11.01

9.20%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.83

$1.15 ¥7.78

26.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$0.58 ¥3.95

43.10%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$0.92 ¥6.21

22.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.57

$0.73 ¥4.97

-6.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.47 ¥3.19

27.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$3.20 ¥21.62

-11.88%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.5

$9.09 ¥61.5

29.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.28

$0.94 ¥6.39

-17.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.64

$1.54 ¥10.42

1.95%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.20 ¥1.35

105.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$21.24 ¥144

65.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.49 ¥10.10

51.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.26 ¥1.74

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.4

$8.60 ¥58.2

-4.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$1.14 ¥7.74

0.88%

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

$19.3K ¥130.5K

$17.3K ¥117.0K

11.54%

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

$17.7K ¥120.0K

$14.7K ¥99.3K

20.74%

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

$53.0 ¥359

$39.71 ¥269

33.52%

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

$8.77 ¥59.4

$8.19 ¥55.4

7.08%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.3

$11.16 ¥75.5

23.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$41.54 ¥281

9.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$11.17 ¥75.6

79.05%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.2

$5.59 ¥37.85

48.48%

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

$1,264 ¥8,555

$187 ¥1,266

576.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.3K

$11.2K ¥75.8K

182.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$43.55 ¥295

32.47%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥257

$33.41 ¥226

13.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥521

$60.6 ¥410

27.15%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥655

$83.7 ¥566

15.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,466

$208 ¥1,406

359.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,755

$137 ¥927

304.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$753 ¥5,095

231.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,166

$326 ¥2,203

270.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.7K

$3,680 ¥24.9K

288.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$2,410 ¥16.3K

174.89%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$1,322 ¥8,949

28.69%

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 Nantong: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $208 in Nantong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 29% 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 Nantong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $167 per month, with Nantong 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 Nantong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Nantong differ by about 96% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $608 including rent). Nantong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 29% 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 $208 in Nantong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $187 in Nantong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 36% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $608 in Nantong versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Nantong but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Nantong 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 Nantong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 96% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.