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: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $758 in Nantong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,226 in Nantong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,695 in Nantong.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 65% more expensive than in Nantong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Nantong 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$3.00 ¥20.14

45.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$23.57 ¥158

26.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.38 ¥29.42

15.75%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.78 ¥18.66

21.58%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.60 ¥4.01

-1.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.31 ¥2.05

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.72 ¥4.83

61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.19 ¥14.73

8.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.62 ¥10.90

27.78%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.56 ¥10.50

26.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.80 ¥5.38

21.25%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.70 ¥11.43

-1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$6.95 ¥46.63

143.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.78 ¥25.36

-10.32%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.06 ¥67.5

30.72%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$2.24 ¥15.01

3.57%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.34 ¥8.96

30.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.54 ¥10.35

29.87%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.42 ¥9.56

23.24%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.66 ¥4.45

24.24%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.99 ¥6.66

1.01%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.63 ¥4.24

3.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.50 ¥3.37

30.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.24 ¥21.75

36.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$8.70 ¥58.4

28.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.81 ¥5.42

16.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.65 ¥11.05

-5.45%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.21 ¥1.40

176.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$14.99 ¥101

96.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.90 ¥12.74

17.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.39 ¥2.60

10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$6.94 ¥46.58

26.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.22 ¥8.15

2.46%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.2K ¥129.1K

2.29%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$18.3K ¥122.7K

-0.30%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$46.67 ¥313

32.01%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$7.19 ¥48.24

17.52%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$14.35 ¥96.3

-27.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$112 ¥750

-37.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$11.97 ¥80.4

36.84%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$7.65 ¥51.3

15.56%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$195 ¥1,307

610.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$11.7K ¥78.2K

131.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$58.2 ¥391

-10.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$42.22 ¥283

-10.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$64.2 ¥430

16.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$110 ¥737

-4.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$211 ¥1,412

367.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$137 ¥921

316.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$696 ¥4,671

254.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$353 ¥2,368

239.29%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,673 ¥24.6K

271.78%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$2,187 ¥14.7K

181.12%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$1,300 ¥8,721

33.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.5

-4.29%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Nantong: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $211 in Nantong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 33% 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 $24.00 in Nantong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $182 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 65% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $758 including rent). Nantong is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 33% 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 $211 in Nantong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $195 in Nantong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 33% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $758 in Nantong versus $1,247 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 65% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.