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: $1,194 in Shanghai versus $727 in Putian.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,972 in Shanghai versus $1,149 in Putian.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Shanghai versus $1,570 in Putian.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 64% more expensive than Putian, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Putian 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ¥33.95

$2.13 ¥14.57

133.33%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥247

$23.12 ¥158

56.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥37.04

$5.64 ¥38.55

-3.90%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.31

$2.71 ¥18.52

31.37%

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

$0.53 ¥3.64

$0.40 ¥2.75

32.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.28

$0.29 ¥1.99

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.23

$0.72 ¥4.94

87.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.87

$2.86 ¥19.51

-3.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ¥14.54

$1.85 ¥12.62

15.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥12.58

$2.14 ¥14.60

-14.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.19

$0.78 ¥5.32

34.62%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.45

$1.32 ¥9.03

27.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ¥106

$11.34 ¥77.5

37.39%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥22.13

$2.34 ¥15.97

38.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥74.0

$11.20 ¥76.5

-3.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.22

$2.40 ¥16.39

-1.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.57

$1.33 ¥9.08

27.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.51 ¥10.32

19.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.09

$1.87 ¥12.74

-20.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.83

$0.96 ¥6.57

-11.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$1.69 ¥11.56

-30.77%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.25

$0.82 ¥5.61

-24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.55 ¥3.76

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.17

$2.74 ¥18.74

2.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$10.93 ¥74.7

8.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.38

$0.76 ¥5.18

3.95%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.72

$1.60 ¥10.95

-1.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.29 ¥2.00

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.93 ¥239

$16.83 ¥115

107.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.33

$1.36 ¥9.32

64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.28 ¥1.92

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ¥56.2

$6.79 ¥46.38

21.21%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.13 ¥7.72

1.77%

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

$19.9K ¥135.8K

$16.2K ¥110.7K

22.69%

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

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$17.8K ¥121.5K

0.27%

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

$52.2 ¥357

$39.24 ¥268

33.03%

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

$8.70 ¥59.4

$9.89 ¥67.6

-12.03%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 ¥92.7

$11.92 ¥81.4

13.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 ¥316

$42.48 ¥290

9.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 ¥140

$13.75 ¥93.9

48.73%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.5

$9.21 ¥62.9

-10.31%

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

$1,266 ¥8,649

$463 ¥3,161

173.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K ¥218.2K

$16.9K ¥115.4K

89.07%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥408

$43.01 ¥294

38.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 ¥261

$26.71 ¥182

43.13%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥527

$83.9 ¥573

-7.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ¥657

$78.8 ¥538

22.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ¥6,478

$284 ¥1,938

234.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,908

$187 ¥1,277

206.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 ¥16.9K

$600 ¥4,095

312.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,239

$356 ¥2,434

238.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥96.2K

$2,554 ¥17.4K

451.60%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,213 ¥49.3K

$2,003 ¥13.7K

260.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

$452 ¥3,090

271.76%

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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Putian: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Shanghai and $284 in Putian. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 272% 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 in Shanghai vs $23 in Putian for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 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 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Shanghai pays 272% more on average, 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: $948 in Shanghai versus $284 in Putian. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,266 in Shanghai versus $463 in Putian. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 10% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $727 in Putian versus $1,194 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 64% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.