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: $1,194 in Shanghai versus $754 in Rizhao.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,972 in Shanghai versus $1,190 in Rizhao.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Shanghai versus $1,625 in Rizhao.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 58% more expensive than Rizhao, driven mainly by Eating Out.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ¥33.95

$3.25 ¥22.18

52.92%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥247

$18.27 ¥125

97.97%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥37.04

$4.58 ¥31.29

18.34%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.31

$1.77 ¥12.09

101.13%

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

$0.53 ¥3.64

$0.47 ¥3.22

12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.28

$0.22 ¥1.51

50.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.23

$0.86 ¥5.85

56.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.87

$2.08 ¥14.17

32.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ¥14.54

$1.70 ¥11.63

25.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥12.58

$1.47 ¥10.02

25.17%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.19

$0.41 ¥2.78

156.10%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.45

$1.83 ¥12.48

-8.20%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ¥106

$15.09 ¥103

3.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥22.13

$4.12 ¥28.17

-21.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥74.0

$10.18 ¥69.6

6.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.22

$1.33 ¥9.05

78.20%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.57

$0.93 ¥6.33

81.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$0.72 ¥4.92

150.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.09

$1.02 ¥6.95

45.10%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.83

$0.71 ¥4.84

19.72%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$1.13 ¥7.69

3.54%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.25

$0.93 ¥6.33

-33.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.47 ¥3.24

29.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.17

$3.92 ¥26.77

-28.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$10.06 ¥68.7

18.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.38

$1.00 ¥6.85

-21.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.72

$1.52 ¥10.35

3.29%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.27 ¥1.83

62.96%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.93 ¥239

$16.89 ¥115

106.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.33

$1.09 ¥7.42

105.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.31 ¥2.15

22.58%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ¥56.2

$7.20 ¥49.15

14.31%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.14 ¥7.79

0.88%

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

$19.9K ¥135.8K

$20.5K ¥139.8K

-2.87%

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

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$13.4K ¥91.2K

33.55%

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

$52.2 ¥357

$50.8 ¥347

2.70%

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

$8.70 ¥59.4

$11.02 ¥75.3

-21.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 ¥92.7

$10.59 ¥72.4

28.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 ¥316

$41.52 ¥284

11.54%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 ¥140

$13.83 ¥94.5

47.87%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.5

$6.85 ¥46.77

20.58%

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

$1,266 ¥8,649

$334 ¥2,284

278.66%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K ¥218.2K

$17.0K ¥116.1K

87.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥408

$76.4 ¥522

-21.78%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 ¥261

$37.66 ¥257

1.51%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥527

$80.6 ¥551

-4.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ¥657

$102 ¥699

-5.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ¥6,478

$283 ¥1,935

234.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,908

$190 ¥1,299

200.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 ¥16.9K

$594 ¥4,057

316.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,239

$365 ¥2,495

230.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥96.2K

$3,365 ¥23.0K

318.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,213 ¥49.3K

$1,706 ¥11.7K

322.81%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥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: April 12, 2026

Last update for Rizhao: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Shanghai and $283 in Rizhao. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36 in Shanghai vs $18 in Rizhao for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $199 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 58% in total monthly costs ($1,194 vs $754 including rent). Rizhao is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,790 in Shanghai and $1,131 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: $948 in Shanghai versus $283 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 $1,194 per month in Shanghai versus $754 in Rizhao – a 58% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $754 in Rizhao versus $1,194 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 58% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.