Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Sabac Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Sabac

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,212 per month in Shanghai vs $960 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,973 per month in Shanghai vs $1,408 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,733 per month in Shanghai vs $1,857 in Sabac, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 26% more than Sabac, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shanghai and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Sabac 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.78

$9.00 RSD 923

-44.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$26.96 RSD 2,767

33.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.39

$9.64 RSD 990

-42.53%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.85

$1.50 RSD 154

135.33%

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

$0.57 ¥3.87

$1.75 RSD 180

-67.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$1.20 RSD 123

-72.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$2.34 RSD 240

-40.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.65

$2.11 RSD 216

30.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.78

$1.38 RSD 142

58.70%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$0.66 RSD 67.5

171.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$2.00 RSD 205

-45.00%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.26

$2.18 RSD 223

-23.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$7.37 RSD 756

106.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.85

$6.72 RSD 690

-54.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥75.0

$10.82 RSD 1,111

2.59%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.87

$1.30 RSD 133

80.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.84

$1.83 RSD 187

-4.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.00

$1.77 RSD 182

0.56%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$2.32 RSD 239

-37.07%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$1.15 RSD 118

-30.43%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.47

$1.26 RSD 129

-11.90%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$1.04 RSD 107

-38.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.49 RSD 50.2

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.22

$4.11 RSD 422

-30.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.1

$5.93 RSD 608

97.64%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.68 RSD 69.8

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.93

$2.15 RSD 221

-24.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$1.00 RSD 102

-59.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$25.79 RSD 2,647

33.27%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.77

$1.03 RSD 106

112.62%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.46 RSD 47.02

-17.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.8

$5.05 RSD 519

60.59%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$1.82 RSD 187

-40.11%

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

$19.8K ¥133.8K

$30.6K RSD 3.1M

-35.28%

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

$17.8K ¥120.0K

$27.0K RSD 2.8M

-34.30%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$160 RSD 16.5K

-67.30%

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

$8.46 ¥57.2

$19.38 RSD 1,990

-56.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.6

$24.90 RSD 2,556

-45.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$23.72 RSD 2,435

94.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$11.79 RSD 1,211

69.21%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$6.67 RSD 685

23.69%

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

$1,280 ¥8,648

$177 RSD 18.2K

621.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.3K

$3,969 RSD 407.4K

684.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$62.4 RSD 6,405

-5.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥257

$55.8 RSD 5,730

-31.94%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$120 RSD 12.3K

-35.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥655

$120 RSD 12.3K

-19.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,390

$237 RSD 24.3K

298.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,746

$179 RSD 18.4K

210.01%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$352 RSD 36.1K

598.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,109

$260 RSD 26.7K

361.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.3K

$1,906 RSD 195.6K

640.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.9K

$1,537 RSD 157.8K

332.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.8K

$955 RSD 98.0K

82.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

-55.25%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 26, 2026

Last update for Sabac: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $946 in Shanghai versus $237 in Sabac. 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 82% 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $27.00 in Sabac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $227 vs $197 – making Sabac 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 Sabac: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,212 in Shanghai, $960 in Sabac – roughly 26% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,818 per month in Shanghai and $1,439 in Sabac. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% more in Shanghai, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $36.00 in Shanghai and $27.00 in Sabac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabac, where all-in costs run around $960, than in Shanghai at $1,212. In Sabac it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

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

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Sabac. 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.