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: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $696 in Rizhao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,109 in Rizhao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,522 in Rizhao.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 79% more expensive than in Rizhao, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Rizhao 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.56 ¥17.19

70.31%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$18.82 ¥126

58.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.99 ¥33.49

1.60%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$1.87 ¥12.57

80.75%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.44 ¥2.98

34.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.23 ¥1.54

56.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.86 ¥5.79

34.88%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$1.97 ¥13.22

20.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.58 ¥10.58

31.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.40 ¥9.38

40.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.43 ¥2.88

125.58%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.18 ¥7.95

42.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$11.74 ¥78.8

44.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.24 ¥21.72

4.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.95 ¥73.5

20.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$2.07 ¥13.89

12.08%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.07 ¥7.17

63.55%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$0.76 ¥5.11

163.16%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.34 ¥8.96

30.60%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.69 ¥4.64

18.84%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.80 ¥5.36

25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.53 ¥3.53

22.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.61 ¥4.10

6.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.82 ¥25.64

15.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$10.02 ¥67.2

11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.71 ¥4.73

32.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.31 ¥8.78

19.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.31 ¥2.09

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$15.44 ¥104

90.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.17 ¥7.84

91.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.31 ¥2.10

38.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$4.35 ¥29.16

101.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.21 ¥8.13

3.31%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$18.9K ¥127.0K

4.01%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$15.1K ¥101.2K

20.87%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$71.2 ¥478

-13.46%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$6.63 ¥44.50

27.45%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$5.04 ¥33.82

106.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$36.13 ¥242

92.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$14.93 ¥100

9.71%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.83 ¥39.10

51.63%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$211 ¥1,418

554.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$20.2K ¥135.8K

33.37%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$34.20 ¥229

51.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$43.00 ¥289

-11.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$71.2 ¥477

5.31%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$70.0 ¥470

50.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$294 ¥1,975

234.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$188 ¥1,258

204.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$612 ¥4,106

303.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$373 ¥2,502

221.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,572 ¥24.0K

282.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,893 ¥12.7K

224.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.13

7.03%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Rizhao: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $294 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 $242 vs $186 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 79% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $696 including rent). Rizhao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,871 in Shanghai and $1,044 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $294 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 $1,247 per month in Shanghai versus $696 in Rizhao – a 79% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $696 in Rizhao versus $1,247 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 79% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.