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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,236 per month in Shanghai vs $859 in Sabac, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,976 per month in Shanghai vs $1,336 in Sabac, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,717 per month in Shanghai vs $1,813 in Sabac, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 44% more than Sabac, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Shanghai and Sabac are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Sabac 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.52

$8.32 RSD 838

-45.19%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 ¥198

$27.83 RSD 2,805

6.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.98

$7.13 RSD 719

-24.68%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.49

$1.96 RSD 197

63.78%

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

$0.61 ¥4.06

$1.92 RSD 194

-68.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$1.38 RSD 139

-72.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.13

$2.74 RSD 276

-55.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥18.15

$2.71 RSD 273

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.30 RSD 132

50.77%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$0.60 RSD 60.3

208.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.96

$1.99 RSD 200

-47.74%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.49

$2.07 RSD 208

-24.15%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ¥117

$5.99 RSD 604

191.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ¥22.23

$6.77 RSD 682

-50.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$11.91 RSD 1,200

14.02%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.20

$1.24 RSD 125

70.97%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.91 RSD 193

-7.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.33

$1.45 RSD 146

37.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.94 RSD 196

-8.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.44

$0.66 RSD 66.6

22.73%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$0.33 RSD 33.64

206.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$1.10 RSD 111

-36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.44

$0.42 RSD 42.29

57.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.46

$3.87 RSD 390

-1.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.0

$8.10 RSD 816

27.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.27

$0.70 RSD 70.6

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.58

$1.02 RSD 103

54.90%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$1.08 RSD 109

-45.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.87 ¥200

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.83

$1.53 RSD 155

44.44%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.98 RSD 98.3

-52.04%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ¥60.0

$5.37 RSD 541

66.67%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.54

$1.79 RSD 180

-28.49%

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

$19.6K ¥131.0K

$32.0K RSD 3.2M

-38.89%

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

$19.0K ¥127.1K

$26.4K RSD 2.7M

-27.97%

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

$59.3 ¥397

$146 RSD 14.8K

-59.49%

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

$8.62 ¥57.7

$26.16 RSD 2,636

-67.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 ¥66.3

$20.08 RSD 2,024

-50.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ¥439

$30.63 RSD 3,087

114.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 ¥110

$14.05 RSD 1,416

17.08%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ¥60.9

$5.87 RSD 592

54.86%

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

$1,439 ¥9,638

$181 RSD 18.2K

695.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ¥172.6K

$4,037 RSD 406.9K

538.51%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ¥355

$63.8 RSD 6,433

-16.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.80 ¥253

$69.0 RSD 6,952

-45.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥497

$59.4 RSD 5,987

25.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ¥720

$121 RSD 12.2K

-11.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 ¥6,743

$234 RSD 23.6K

329.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,781

$157 RSD 15.8K

259.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 ¥16.1K

$346 RSD 34.9K

594.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 ¥8,120

$261 RSD 26.3K

364.82%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥92.5K

$1,948 RSD 196.4K

608.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,147 ¥41.2K

$1,562 RSD 157.4K

293.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$993 RSD 100.1K

74.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

4.84

-30.58%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Last update for Sabac: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $1,007 in Shanghai versus $234 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 75% 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 $29.00 in Shanghai versus $28.00 in Sabac. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $240 vs $190 – 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: $1,236 in Shanghai, $859 in Sabac – roughly 44% apart. Shanghai costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,854 per month in Shanghai and $1,288 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 $29.00 in Shanghai and $28.00 in Sabac. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 26% 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 $859, than in Shanghai at $1,236. 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.