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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $752 in Quanzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,130 in Quanzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,508 in Quanzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 61% more expensive than Quanzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Quanzhou 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$2.07 ¥13.97

136.71%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$23.42 ¥158

55.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$5.48 ¥37.03

2.01%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$2.72 ¥18.37

30.51%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.51 ¥3.44

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.81

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$1.40 ¥9.48

2.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$2.83 ¥19.17

0.71%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$1.36 ¥9.22

58.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$0.67 ¥4.56

165.67%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.77 ¥5.19

42.86%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$1.18 ¥7.99

43.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$11.06 ¥74.8

38.34%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$2.38 ¥16.07

31.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$11.28 ¥76.3

-4.61%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$2.43 ¥16.44

-7.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.09 ¥7.39

53.21%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$1.56 ¥10.58

15.38%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.94 ¥13.09

-21.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.95 ¥6.43

-14.74%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$1.71 ¥11.56

-35.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.81 ¥5.51

-16.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.55 ¥3.75

1.82%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$2.83 ¥19.12

0.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$7.46 ¥50.4

55.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.75 ¥5.04

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$1.58 ¥10.72

3.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.27 ¥1.80

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$33.37 ¥226

3.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$1.08 ¥7.29

104.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.28 ¥1.90

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$6.85 ¥46.31

22.34%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.15 ¥7.79

-0.87%

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$15.5K ¥105.1K

25.71%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$14.1K ¥95.5K

28.46%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$39.45 ¥267

33.87%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$4.17 ¥28.17

104.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$11.77 ¥79.6

17.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$42.48 ¥287

10.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$28.09 ¥190

-29.48%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$5.46 ¥36.92

54.95%

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$116 ¥786

1021.35%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$16.1K ¥108.6K

96.48%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$28.37 ¥192

110.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$27.28 ¥184

39.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$83.9 ¥567

-6.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$79.9 ¥540

24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$245 ¥1,657

280.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$256 ¥1,731

122.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$421 ¥2,846

491.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$294 ¥1,986

305.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$2,997 ¥20.3K

366.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,950 ¥13.2K

245.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$771 ¥5,216

118.89%

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Quanzhou: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $245 in Quanzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 119% 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 $225 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 61% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $752 including rent). Quanzhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 119% 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $245 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 $1,209 per month in Shanghai versus $752 in Quanzhou – a 61% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $752 in Quanzhou versus $1,209 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 61% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.