Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Rizhao Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Rizhao

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $743 in Rizhao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,172 in Rizhao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,601 in Rizhao.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 60% more expensive than in Rizhao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Rizhao 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$3.11 ¥21.03

51.77%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$18.15 ¥123

97.91%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$4.57 ¥30.85

25.60%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$1.83 ¥12.38

92.35%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.51 ¥3.47

11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.20 ¥1.35

65.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.81 ¥5.50

67.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.15 ¥14.49

32.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.65 ¥11.17

27.27%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.48 ¥9.98

21.62%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.43 ¥2.94

144.19%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.81 ¥12.26

-7.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$14.66 ¥99.1

7.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$4.05 ¥27.36

-21.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$10.33 ¥69.8

6.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.37 ¥9.26

73.72%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.01 ¥6.81

67.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$0.68 ¥4.56

161.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.02 ¥6.88

42.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.75 ¥5.04

10.67%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.94 ¥6.37

-27.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.47 ¥3.21

27.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.93 ¥26.55

-28.24%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$10.07 ¥68.1

16.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.99 ¥6.72

-21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.57 ¥10.64

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.27 ¥1.80

51.85%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$16.59 ¥112

111.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.08 ¥7.30

109.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.34 ¥2.32

8.82%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$7.11 ¥48.03

15.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.14 ¥7.71

0.88%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$20.3K ¥137.3K

-5.06%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$13.6K ¥91.6K

30.73%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$51.2 ¥346

3.60%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$10.97 ¥74.1

-20.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$10.39 ¥70.2

32.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$42.00 ¥284

8.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$13.71 ¥92.6

45.88%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$6.92 ¥46.78

19.94%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$337 ¥2,280

274.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$17.2K ¥116.3K

83.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$75.1 ¥508

-23.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$37.67 ¥255

0.69%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$81.0 ¥548

-4.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$99.4 ¥672

-2.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$274 ¥1,853

248.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$187 ¥1,267

195.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$587 ¥3,968

325.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$366 ¥2,470

230.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$3,038 ¥20.5K

370.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,953 ¥13.2K

239.33%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.81

-6.04%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Rizhao: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $274 in Rizhao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $18.00 in Rizhao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $198 per month, with Rizhao 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 Rizhao: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Rizhao differ by about 60% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $743 including rent). Rizhao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,788 in Shanghai and $1,115 in Rizhao to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $955 in Shanghai versus $274 in Rizhao. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Rizhao – a meal for two runs $18.00 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 $743 in Rizhao – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $743 in Rizhao versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Rizhao but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Rizhao 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 Rizhao gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.