Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Quzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Quzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,194 per month in Shanghai vs $695 in Quzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,972 per month in Shanghai vs $1,079 in Quzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,750 per month in Shanghai vs $1,463 in Quzhou, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 72% more than Quzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Quzhou are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 11% lower, Quzhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ¥33.95

$2.85 ¥19.48

74.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥247

$14.05 ¥96.0

157.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥37.04

$4.94 ¥33.76

9.72%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.31

$2.55 ¥17.43

39.61%

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

$0.53 ¥3.64

$0.36 ¥2.48

47.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.28

$0.22 ¥1.50

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.23

$0.68 ¥4.64

98.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.87

$1.64 ¥11.23

68.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ¥14.54

$1.43 ¥9.75

48.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥12.58

$1.93 ¥13.16

-4.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.19

$0.72 ¥4.92

45.83%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.45

$1.70 ¥11.60

-1.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ¥106

$13.27 ¥90.6

17.41%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥22.13

$2.46 ¥16.78

31.71%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥74.0

$9.74 ¥66.5

11.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.22

$2.01 ¥13.73

17.91%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.57

$1.42 ¥9.70

19.01%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.67 ¥11.38

7.78%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.09

$1.25 ¥8.54

18.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.83

$0.72 ¥4.89

18.06%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$0.68 ¥4.62

72.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.25

$0.53 ¥3.63

16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.41 ¥2.82

48.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.17

$4.29 ¥29.31

-34.50%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$8.07 ¥55.1

47.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.38

$0.35 ¥2.41

125.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.72

$0.67 ¥4.58

134.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.27 ¥1.84

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.93 ¥239

$16.65 ¥114

109.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.33

$1.12 ¥7.65

100.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.42 ¥2.87

-9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ¥56.2

$6.19 ¥42.30

32.96%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.14 ¥7.77

0.88%

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

$19.9K ¥135.8K

$19.1K ¥130.6K

4.01%

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

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$17.2K ¥117.8K

3.41%

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

$52.2 ¥357

$44.57 ¥304

17.12%

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

$8.70 ¥59.4

$11.43 ¥78.1

-23.88%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 ¥92.7

$11.50 ¥78.6

18.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 ¥316

$42.38 ¥289

9.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 ¥140

$14.18 ¥96.8

44.22%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.5

$5.62 ¥38.39

46.98%

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

$1,266 ¥8,649

$446 ¥3,047

183.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K ¥218.2K

$16.8K ¥115.1K

89.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥408

$28.20 ¥193

111.95%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 ¥261

$28.20 ¥193

35.57%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥527

$72.6 ¥496

6.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ¥657

$92.9 ¥634

3.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ¥6,478

$281 ¥1,919

237.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,908

$184 ¥1,259

210.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 ¥16.9K

$586 ¥4,003

321.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,239

$365 ¥2,490

230.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥96.2K

$3,399 ¥23.2K

314.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,213 ¥49.3K

$2,007 ¥13.7K

259.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

$659 ¥4,499

155.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.5

2.29%

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

Last update for Shanghai: April 12, 2026

Last update for Quzhou: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $948 in Shanghai versus $281 in Quzhou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 155% higher in Shanghai, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36 in Shanghai versus $14 in Quzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $228 vs $186 – making Quzhou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Quzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 72%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,790 per month in Shanghai and $1,042 in Quzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Quzhou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Public transport costs about 110% less in Quzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $1,266 per month in Shanghai and $446 in Quzhou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quzhou, where all-in costs run around $695, than in Shanghai at $1,194. In Quzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Quzhou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Quzhou. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.