Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Quanzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Quanzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $766 in Quanzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,129 in Quanzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,493 in Quanzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 56% more expensive than in Quanzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Quanzhou 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$2.13 ¥14.40

121.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$23.24 ¥157

54.56%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$5.69 ¥38.45

0.88%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$2.75 ¥18.58

28.00%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.48 ¥3.23

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.29 ¥1.97

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$1.35 ¥9.13

0.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.88 ¥19.44

-1.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.43 ¥9.64

46.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$0.67 ¥4.52

168.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.81 ¥5.49

29.63%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.18 ¥7.96

42.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$11.09 ¥74.9

42.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$2.35 ¥15.89

34.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$11.35 ¥76.7

-2.91%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$2.36 ¥15.94

0.85%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.13 ¥7.63

49.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.50 ¥10.16

18.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.87 ¥12.62

-22.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.96 ¥6.46

-13.54%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$1.65 ¥11.17

-31.52%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.80 ¥5.44

-15.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.52 ¥3.49

15.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$2.77 ¥18.72

1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$7.56 ¥51.1

55.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.74 ¥5.01

5.41%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.64 ¥11.10

-4.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.82

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$32.87 ¥222

6.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.12 ¥7.59

101.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.26 ¥1.74

42.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$6.79 ¥45.85

20.47%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.12 ¥7.57

2.68%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$15.1K ¥102.2K

27.58%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$13.7K ¥92.8K

29.12%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$38.54 ¥260

37.57%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$4.00 ¥27.00

119.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.76 ¥79.5

17.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$42.38 ¥286

7.17%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$27.99 ¥189

-28.55%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$5.43 ¥36.70

52.85%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$118 ¥796

973.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$15.9K ¥107.5K

98.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$28.30 ¥191

103.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$27.39 ¥185

38.48%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$83.6 ¥565

-7.84%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$81.5 ¥551

18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$248 ¥1,675

285.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$257 ¥1,737

115.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$424 ¥2,868

488.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$295 ¥1,994

308.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$2,916 ¥19.7K

390.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,954 ¥13.2K

239.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$762 ¥5,146

123.47%

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 11, 2026

Last update for Quanzhou: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $248 in Quanzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 123% 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 Quanzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $180 per month, with Quanzhou 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 Quanzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Quanzhou differ by about 56% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $766 including rent). Quanzhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 123% 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: $955 in Shanghai versus $248 in Quanzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Quanzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $36.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,192 per month in Shanghai versus $766 in Quanzhou – a 56% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $766 in Quanzhou versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Quanzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Quanzhou 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 Quanzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 56% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.