Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Putian Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Putian

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Shanghai versus $517 in Putian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Shanghai versus $857 in Putian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,713 in Shanghai versus $1,196 in Putian.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 136% more expensive than in Putian, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Putian 62% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.27

$2.19 ¥14.68

106.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$23.91 ¥160

22.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.27

$5.24 ¥35.12

0.38%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.31

$2.43 ¥16.31

30.86%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$0.44 ¥2.92

40.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.31 ¥2.08

16.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$0.72 ¥4.83

62.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.34

$2.84 ¥19.06

-3.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.46 ¥9.76

30.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$2.30 ¥15.40

-17.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$0.99 ¥6.61

3.03%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.90

$1.60 ¥10.72

1.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$11.90 ¥79.8

44.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.21

$2.52 ¥16.91

25.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$11.72 ¥78.5

11.95%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$2.59 ¥17.37

-17.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.46 ¥9.79

23.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$1.63 ¥10.91

21.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$2.06 ¥13.81

-21.84%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.95 ¥6.38

-18.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$1.84 ¥12.32

-51.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.87 ¥5.80

-24.14%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.53 ¥3.58

15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.43

$2.95 ¥19.79

28.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.5

$11.09 ¥74.3

-6.49%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$0.85 ¥5.68

3.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.41

$1.75 ¥11.73

-11.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.75 ¥5.05

-21.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$22.52 ¥151

33.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.45 ¥9.75

48.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.89

$0.29 ¥1.93

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.6

$7.31 ¥49.01

23.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.22 ¥8.21

3.28%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$19.2K ¥128.6K

1.37%

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

$18.7K ¥125.3K

$17.7K ¥118.4K

5.80%

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

$57.5 ¥386

$44.51 ¥298

29.27%

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

$8.41 ¥56.4

$8.71 ¥58.3

-3.44%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$10.48 ¥70.2

-3.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$10.14 ¥67.9

-11.44%

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

$1,411 ¥9,455

$490 ¥3,284

187.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.2K

$23.8K ¥159.8K

18.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$39.38 ¥264

32.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥251

$29.43 ¥197

27.05%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥494

$103 ¥693

-28.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$86.2 ¥577

21.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,577

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,787

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,810

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,569 ¥17.2K

432.20%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$1,124 ¥7,530

444.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$476 ¥3,192

265.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

3.46

-2.31%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Putian: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Shanghai pays 266% 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: $29.00 in Shanghai vs $24.00 in Putian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $216 per month, with Putian 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 Putian: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Putian is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 136% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 266% higher in Shanghai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Childcare runs $1,411 in Shanghai versus $490 in Putian. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 9% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $517 in Putian versus $1,219 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Putian but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Putian 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 Putian gentler on the wallet – expenses run 136% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.