Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Oradea Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Oradea

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,219 per month in Shanghai vs $1,033 in Oradea, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,966 per month in Shanghai vs $1,533 in Oradea, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,713 per month in Shanghai vs $2,032 in Oradea, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 18% more than Oradea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Oradea are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Oradea 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.25

$8.97 RON 41.12

-49.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$44.55 RON 204

-34.28%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.25

$7.47 RON 34.26

-29.59%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.30

$2.70 RON 12.39

17.78%

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

$0.62 ¥4.12

$1.99 RON 9.13

-68.84%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$1.78 RON 8.16

-79.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.84

$2.22 RON 10.16

-47.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.33

$3.36 RON 15.40

-18.45%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.52 RON 6.98

25.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.11 RON 5.08

70.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$1.21 RON 5.54

-15.70%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.89

$2.92 RON 13.39

-44.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$8.46 RON 38.80

103.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.19

$6.64 RON 30.45

-52.41%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$9.41 RON 43.12

39.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.25

$1.16 RON 5.33

83.62%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.12

$1.55 RON 7.09

16.77%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.25

$1.58 RON 7.23

25.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.75

$1.47 RON 6.76

9.52%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.92 RON 4.23

-16.30%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.91 RON 4.17

-1.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.77 RON 3.54

-14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.80 RON 3.67

-23.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.41

$5.93 RON 27.21

-35.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.4

$6.13 RON 28.12

69.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$1.08 RON 4.96

-18.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.84 RON 8.42

-15.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.75 RON 3.44

-21.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$20.00 RON 91.7

50.00%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.49

$0.79 RON 3.62

173.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.79 RON 3.61

-45.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.5

$7.72 RON 35.37

17.10%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.78 RON 8.16

-29.21%

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

$19.4K ¥130.2K

$29.1K RON 133.4K

-33.17%

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

$18.7K ¥125.2K

$25.8K RON 118.3K

-27.56%

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

$57.5 ¥385

$145 RON 664

-60.29%

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

$8.41 ¥56.3

$6.66 RON 30.53

26.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.5

$8.44 RON 38.70

19.43%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$47.54 RON 218

37.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$17.06 RON 78.2

1.35%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.1

$7.54 RON 34.57

19.10%

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

$1,411 ¥9,449

$402 RON 1,842

251.25%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.1K

$9,386 RON 43.0K

200.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$64.0 RON 293

-18.70%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥250

$38.60 RON 177

-3.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥493

$58.0 RON 266

27.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$65.3 RON 299

60.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,572

$414 RON 1,899

136.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,785

$322 RON 1,475

75.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$565 RON 2,590

328.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,805

$411 RON 1,886

183.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,019 RON 9,257

577.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$1,933 RON 8,864

216.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$935 RON 4,286

86.39%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

7.1

-52.39%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Oradea: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $982 in Shanghai versus $414 in Oradea. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 86% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Shanghai versus $45.00 in Oradea. Groceries tell a different story – $235 in Shanghai vs $197 in Oradea – so Oradea wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Oradea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,219 in Shanghai, $1,033 in Oradea – roughly 18% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,829 per month in Shanghai and $1,549 in Oradea. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 19% more in Shanghai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Shanghai and $45.00 in Oradea. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Oradea, where all-in costs run around $1,033, than in Shanghai at $1,219. In Oradea it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Oradea. 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.