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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,220 per month in Shanghai vs $945 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,946 per month in Shanghai vs $1,390 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,672 per month in Shanghai vs $1,834 in Sabac, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 29% more than Sabac, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Shanghai and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 9% lower, Sabac 29% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.73 ¥32.39

$8.64 RSD 866

-45.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.90 ¥253

$27.04 RSD 2,711

36.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.41 ¥37.03

$9.70 RSD 973

-44.23%

Cappuccino

$3.42 ¥23.41

$1.45 RSD 146

135.86%

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

$0.55 ¥3.76

$1.73 RSD 174

-68.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.34 ¥2.32

$1.16 RSD 116

-70.69%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.41 ¥9.63

$2.34 RSD 235

-39.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.87 ¥19.67

$2.13 RSD 214

34.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.08 ¥14.23

$1.36 RSD 137

52.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.30

$0.64 RSD 64.2

181.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.18

$1.99 RSD 199

-47.24%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.14

$2.30 RSD 230

-29.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.36 ¥105

$7.48 RSD 750

105.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.08 ¥21.10

$6.98 RSD 700

-55.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.97 ¥75.1

$10.71 RSD 1,074

2.43%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.24

$1.35 RSD 136

75.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥12.13

$1.83 RSD 184

-3.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.88

$1.74 RSD 174

-0.57%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.05

$2.31 RSD 231

-36.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.78 ¥5.37

$1.10 RSD 111

-29.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.71

$1.26 RSD 127

-10.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$1.06 RSD 106

-35.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.10

$0.49 RSD 49.08

22.45%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.28

$4.09 RSD 410

-31.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.86 ¥81.2

$7.15 RSD 717

65.87%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.45

$0.68 RSD 68.0

17.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.98

$2.13 RSD 214

-24.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.00

$0.93 RSD 93.6

-52.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.13 ¥241

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.20 ¥15.09

$1.09 RSD 109

101.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.41 ¥2.80

$0.45 RSD 45.42

-8.89%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.25 ¥56.5

$5.03 RSD 505

64.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.10 ¥7.56

$1.82 RSD 182

-39.56%

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

$19.8K ¥135.7K

$31.1K RSD 3.1M

-36.29%

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

$18.1K ¥124.2K

$26.9K RSD 2.7M

-32.68%

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

$51.3 ¥351

$161 RSD 16.1K

-68.11%

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

$8.47 ¥58.0

$19.33 RSD 1,938

-56.18%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.92 ¥95.4

$24.50 RSD 2,456

-43.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.61 ¥319

$24.09 RSD 2,416

93.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.15 ¥138

$12.04 RSD 1,207

67.36%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.6

$6.83 RSD 685

20.94%

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

$1,309 ¥8,969

$183 RSD 18.3K

616.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$32.0K ¥219.3K

$4,009 RSD 402.0K

698.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ¥399

$63.3 RSD 6,350

-8.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥261

$56.5 RSD 5,660

-32.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.9 ¥540

$116 RSD 11.6K

-31.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.4 ¥660

$119 RSD 11.9K

-19.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$963 ¥6,595

$235 RSD 23.5K

310.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$563 ¥3,859

$175 RSD 17.5K

222.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥17.1K

$350 RSD 35.1K

611.02%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,198

$259 RSD 25.9K

362.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥94.9K

$2,004 RSD 200.9K

591.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,279 ¥49.9K

$1,586 RSD 159.0K

359.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,671 ¥11.4K

$986 RSD 98.8K

69.51%

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: April 25, 2026

Last update for Sabac: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $963 in Shanghai versus $235 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 70% 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 $37.00 in Shanghai versus $27.00 in Sabac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $226 vs $201 – 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: $1,220 in Shanghai, $945 in Sabac – roughly 29% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Clothing & Footwear showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,830 per month in Shanghai and $1,418 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.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $37.00 in Shanghai and $27.00 in Sabac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Sabac, where all-in costs run around $945, than in Shanghai at $1,220. 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.