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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,206 per month in Shanghai vs $950 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,958 per month in Shanghai vs $1,425 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,710 per month in Shanghai vs $1,900 in Sabac, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 27% more than Sabac, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shanghai and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Sabac 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.75 ¥32.12

$8.89 RSD 899

-46.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.31 ¥246

$26.18 RSD 2,648

38.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥36.62

$9.71 RSD 982

-44.18%

Cappuccino

$3.54 ¥23.97

$1.46 RSD 148

142.47%

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

$0.54 ¥3.67

$1.77 RSD 179

-69.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$1.19 RSD 121

-72.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ¥9.61

$2.34 RSD 236

-39.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.77 ¥18.73

$2.09 RSD 211

32.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.09 ¥14.11

$1.39 RSD 140

50.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.52

$0.64 RSD 65.1

189.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.07 ¥7.22

$1.92 RSD 194

-44.27%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.45

$2.23 RSD 225

-24.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.46 ¥105

$7.30 RSD 738

111.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.22 ¥21.74

$6.73 RSD 681

-52.15%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.81 ¥73.1

$10.73 RSD 1,085

0.75%

Apples (1kg)

$2.27 ¥15.35

$1.29 RSD 131

75.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.78

$1.89 RSD 192

-7.94%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.71 ¥11.57

$1.71 RSD 173

Tomato (1kg)

$1.51 ¥10.20

$2.25 RSD 227

-32.89%

Potato (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.80

$1.14 RSD 116

-24.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.21 RSD 122

-4.96%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.55

$1.06 RSD 107

-36.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.73

$0.49 RSD 49.05

12.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.76 ¥18.64

$4.16 RSD 421

-33.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.94 ¥80.7

$6.46 RSD 654

84.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.35

$0.72 RSD 72.3

9.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.63

$2.18 RSD 220

-27.98%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$0.91 RSD 92.3

-54.95%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.46 ¥240

$26.85 RSD 2,715

32.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.18 ¥14.75

$1.03 RSD 104

111.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.76

$0.46 RSD 46.67

-10.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.37 ¥56.6

$5.04 RSD 509

66.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.81 RSD 184

-39.23%

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

$19.4K ¥130.9K

$30.8K RSD 3.1M

-37.17%

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

$18.0K ¥121.9K

$27.1K RSD 2.7M

-33.41%

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

$52.7 ¥356

$159 RSD 16.0K

-66.77%

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

$8.84 ¥59.8

$19.88 RSD 2,011

-55.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.62 ¥92.1

$24.81 RSD 2,509

-45.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.97 ¥318

$23.39 RSD 2,365

100.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.24 ¥137

$11.88 RSD 1,201

70.37%

Cinema Ticket

$8.40 ¥56.8

$6.81 RSD 689

23.35%

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

$1,274 ¥8,617

$178 RSD 18.0K

614.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.0K ¥209.3K

$3,980 RSD 402.5K

677.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ¥394

$63.6 RSD 6,431

-8.40%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.30 ¥252

$54.7 RSD 5,529

-31.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.1 ¥528

$116 RSD 11.7K

-32.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.5 ¥660

$121 RSD 12.2K

-19.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$941 ¥6,361

$238 RSD 24.1K

294.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$566 ¥3,827

$173 RSD 17.5K

227.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,538 ¥17.2K

$349 RSD 35.3K

627.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,179 ¥7,976

$267 RSD 27.0K

341.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.4K ¥97.3K

$1,926 RSD 194.8K

646.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,836 ¥46.2K

$1,517 RSD 153.4K

350.65%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,653 ¥11.2K

$977 RSD 98.8K

69.28%

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: June 8, 2026

Last update for Sabac: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $941 in Shanghai versus $238 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 69% 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 $26.00 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: $1,206 in Shanghai, $950 in Sabac – roughly 27% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,810 per month in Shanghai and $1,425 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 $26.00 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 $950, than in Shanghai at $1,206. 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.