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: $1,212 in Shanghai versus $714 in Putian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,973 in Shanghai versus $1,149 in Putian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Shanghai versus $1,583 in Putian.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 70% more expensive than in Putian, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Putian 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.73

$2.08 ¥14.03

140.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$22.78 ¥154

57.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.34

$5.68 ¥38.31

-2.46%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.81

$2.80 ¥18.90

26.07%

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

$0.57 ¥3.86

$0.40 ¥2.73

42.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.29 ¥1.98

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.45

$0.73 ¥4.90

91.78%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.63

$2.84 ¥19.14

-2.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.76

$1.81 ¥12.20

20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.10

$2.17 ¥14.67

-17.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.45

$0.77 ¥5.19

42.86%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.24

$1.32 ¥8.92

26.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$11.03 ¥74.4

38.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.82

$2.25 ¥15.19

37.33%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥74.9

$11.30 ¥76.2

-1.77%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.85

$2.39 ¥16.13

-1.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.82

$1.34 ¥9.05

30.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥11.98

$1.57 ¥10.56

13.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$1.89 ¥12.77

-22.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.94 ¥6.37

-14.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.46

$1.69 ¥11.41

-34.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$0.86 ¥5.80

-25.58%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.55 ¥3.70

9.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.19

$2.80 ¥18.89

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.0

$11.26 ¥76.0

4.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.79 ¥5.31

1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.92

$1.60 ¥10.80

1.25%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$16.66 ¥112

106.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.75

$1.37 ¥9.23

59.85%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.28 ¥1.91

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.7

$6.86 ¥46.28

18.22%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.33

$1.18 ¥7.97

-7.63%

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

$19.8K ¥133.7K

$16.6K ¥112.1K

19.28%

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

$17.8K ¥119.9K

$17.2K ¥116.2K

3.16%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$39.51 ¥267

32.75%

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

$8.46 ¥57.1

$9.64 ¥65.0

-12.24%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.5

$11.94 ¥80.5

13.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$41.70 ¥281

10.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$13.72 ¥92.5

45.41%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$9.67 ¥65.2

-14.68%

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

$1,280 ¥8,636

$450 ¥3,033

184.77%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.0K

$17.1K ¥115.7K

81.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$43.70 ¥295

35.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥256

$26.86 ¥181

41.44%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$83.8 ¥565

-7.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥654

$81.6 ¥551

18.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,380

$278 ¥1,872

240.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,740

$185 ¥1,247

199.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$589 ¥3,975

316.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,097

$356 ¥2,401

237.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.2K

$2,591 ¥17.5K

444.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.8K

$1,087 ¥7,330

511.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.7K

$461 ¥3,106

278.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.56

0.56%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 26, 2026

Last update for Putian: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Shanghai and $278 in Putian. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 278% 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 $23.00 in Putian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $208 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 70% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 278% 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: $946 in Shanghai versus $278 in Putian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,280 in Shanghai versus $450 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 $714 in Putian versus $1,212 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 70% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.