Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Rizhao

For one person, living is cheaper in Rizhao: $667 a month against $1,244 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $6,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index
34

Cost of Living Index in Rizhao
Learn more

Rizhao Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Rizhao

🇨🇳 China

$667

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Rizhao

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shanghai and in Rizhao actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Shanghai versus $667 in Rizhao.

Shanghai $1,244
Rizhao $667

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $1,077 in Rizhao.

Shanghai $1,999
Rizhao $1,077

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Shanghai versus $1,487 in Rizhao.

Shanghai $2,755
Rizhao $1,487

Living in Shanghai is roughly 86% more expensive than in Rizhao, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 8% lower, Rizhao 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.47

$2.54 ¥16.95

79.53%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$19.14 ¥128

57.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.13

$4.82 ¥32.21

8.92%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.94

$1.95 ¥13.05

68.21%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$0.46 ¥3.10

23.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.39

$0.23 ¥1.54

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.23

$0.88 ¥5.87

39.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.18

$1.98 ¥13.21

14.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.30

$1.46 ¥9.78

26.03%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.08

$1.48 ¥9.87

32.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.87

$0.46 ¥3.08

123.91%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.16

$1.07 ¥7.14

56.07%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$11.73 ¥78.4

44.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.33

$3.34 ¥22.32

-4.49%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.3

$11.35 ¥75.9

13.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$1.46 ¥9.78

53.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.13

$1.02 ¥6.81

62.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.54

$0.77 ¥5.17

162.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.08

$1.14 ¥7.65

45.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$0.58 ¥3.87

32.76%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$0.68 ¥4.57

36.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.19

$0.58 ¥3.85

8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.99

$0.63 ¥4.19

-4.76%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.44

$3.66 ¥24.45

3.83%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.7

$9.99 ¥66.8

8.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.51

$0.72 ¥4.81

13.89%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.36 ¥9.08

18.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$0.29 ¥1.93

110.34%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥197

$17.44 ¥117

68.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.11

$1.23 ¥8.20

71.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.87

$0.25 ¥1.67

72.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.6

$4.52 ¥30.21

100.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.89

$1.19 ¥7.92

11.76%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$19.1K ¥127.6K

-0.33%

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

$18.7K ¥125.1K

$14.8K ¥99.1K

26.22%

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

$57.8 ¥387

$73.5 ¥491

-21.35%

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

$8.09 ¥54.1

$6.63 ¥44.30

22.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥70.0

$5.18 ¥34.65

102.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$36.51 ¥244

79.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$13.25 ¥88.6

34.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.9

$5.36 ¥35.87

66.98%

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

$1,414 ¥9,451

$218 ¥1,458

548.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.2K

$19.8K ¥132.4K

40.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥361

$34.08 ¥228

58.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$43.15 ¥289

-14.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$71.2 ¥476

4.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥706

$69.4 ¥464

52.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,056

$299 ¥1,999

252.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,910

$163 ¥1,090

258.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$623 ¥4,167

298.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,240

$375 ¥2,505

228.97%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.1K

$3,578 ¥23.9K

289.26%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.8K

$2,144 ¥14.3K

191.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.13

7.35%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Rizhao: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Rizhao

$163 24.4% 72.1% $422

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Rizhao

$183 27.4% 22.1% $52

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Rizhao

$98 14.7% 19.6% $24

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Rizhao

$69 10.4% 34.7% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Rizhao

$47 7.1% 43.5% $36

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Rizhao

$85 12.8% 11.7% $8.9

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Rizhao

$21 3.2% 41.7% $15

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Shanghai and $299 in Rizhao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $19.00 in Rizhao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $183 per month, with Rizhao cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇨🇳 Rizhao

🕒 Local time

13:29 1:29 PM

Same time as Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

1,143,000

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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 86% in total monthly costs ($1,244 vs $667 including rent). Rizhao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,865 in Shanghai and $1,000 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: $1,055 in Shanghai versus $299 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 $19.00 versus $30.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,244 per month in Shanghai versus $667 in Rizhao – a 86% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $667 in Rizhao versus $1,244 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 86% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.