Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nanyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Nanyang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Shanghai vs $725 in Nanyang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,972 per month in Shanghai vs $1,144 in Nanyang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,750 per month in Shanghai vs $1,564 in Nanyang, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 65% more than Nanyang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Nanyang are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Nanyang 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ¥33.95

$2.75 ¥18.75

80.73%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥247

$21.81 ¥149

65.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥37.04

$4.76 ¥32.48

13.87%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.31

$2.99 ¥20.41

19.06%

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

$0.53 ¥3.64

$0.43 ¥2.94

23.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.28

$0.29 ¥2.00

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.23

$0.92 ¥6.30

46.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.87

$2.03 ¥13.86

35.96%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ¥14.54

$1.78 ¥12.14

19.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥12.58

$1.62 ¥11.07

13.58%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.19

$0.96 ¥6.57

9.38%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.45

$1.56 ¥10.65

7.69%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ¥106

$12.63 ¥86.3

23.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥22.13

$3.21 ¥21.91

0.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥74.0

$10.03 ¥68.5

7.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.22

$1.89 ¥12.93

25.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.57

$1.25 ¥8.54

35.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.54 ¥10.50

16.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.09

$1.14 ¥7.77

29.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.83

$0.70 ¥4.81

21.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$0.94 ¥6.42

24.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.25

$0.60 ¥4.06

3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.55 ¥3.74

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.17

$3.19 ¥21.82

-11.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$10.47 ¥71.5

13.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.38

$0.81 ¥5.51

-2.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.72

$1.58 ¥10.82

-0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.27 ¥1.82

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.93 ¥239

$16.79 ¥115

108.04%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.33

$1.41 ¥9.65

58.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.33 ¥2.22

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ¥56.2

$6.53 ¥44.57

26.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.17 ¥8.02

-1.71%

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

$19.9K ¥135.8K

$19.8K ¥135.1K

0.53%

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

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$17.5K ¥119.8K

1.65%

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

$52.2 ¥357

$45.34 ¥310

15.13%

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

$8.70 ¥59.4

$9.54 ¥65.2

-8.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 ¥92.7

$11.77 ¥80.4

15.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 ¥316

$42.15 ¥288

9.87%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 ¥140

$14.08 ¥96.2

45.24%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.5

$5.89 ¥40.23

40.24%

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

$1,266 ¥8,649

$339 ¥2,314

273.82%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K ¥218.2K

$16.5K ¥112.7K

93.53%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥408

$43.58 ¥298

37.15%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 ¥261

$30.35 ¥207

25.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥527

$71.2 ¥486

8.44%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ¥657

$72.3 ¥493

33.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ¥6,478

$283 ¥1,933

235.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,908

$196 ¥1,339

191.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 ¥16.9K

$584 ¥3,988

323.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,239

$358 ¥2,447

236.74%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥96.2K

$2,993 ¥20.4K

370.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,213 ¥49.3K

$1,996 ¥13.6K

261.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.89

-7.97%

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

Last update for Shanghai: April 12, 2026

Last update for Nanyang: April 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Shanghai versus $283 in Nanyang. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Shanghai versus $22 in Nanyang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $198 – making Nanyang the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Nanyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,194 in Shanghai, $725 in Nanyang – roughly 65% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,790 per month in Shanghai and $1,088 in Nanyang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Nanyang, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,194 in Shanghai and $725 in Nanyang. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 108% less in Nanyang. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nanyang, where all-in costs run around $725, than in Shanghai at $1,194. In Nanyang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nanyang – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Nanyang. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.