Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Shantou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Shantou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $705 in Shantou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,103 in Shantou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,500 in Shantou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 69% more expensive than in Shantou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Shantou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$2.03 ¥13.71

132.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$16.87 ¥114

112.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$4.97 ¥33.57

15.49%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$3.24 ¥21.92

8.64%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.47 ¥3.20

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.30 ¥2.05

10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.80 ¥5.42

70.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.67 ¥18.07

6.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.69 ¥11.39

24.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.37 ¥9.26

31.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.71 ¥4.82

47.89%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.86 ¥12.58

-9.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$12.66 ¥85.5

24.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.76 ¥25.40

-15.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$12.25 ¥82.8

-10.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.88 ¥12.72

26.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.43 ¥9.66

18.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.68 ¥11.34

5.95%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.28 ¥8.62

13.28%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.78 ¥5.27

6.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.95 ¥6.42

18.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.68 ¥4.58

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.43 ¥2.91

39.53%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.39 ¥22.89

-16.81%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$12.39 ¥83.7

-5.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.83 ¥5.62

-6.02%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.82 ¥12.33

-13.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.36 ¥2.46

13.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$22.01 ¥149

59.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.54 ¥10.41

46.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.36 ¥2.41

2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$6.69 ¥45.24

22.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.14 ¥7.71

0.88%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$21.1K ¥142.7K

-8.65%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$19.5K ¥131.5K

-8.89%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$53.3 ¥360

-0.47%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$8.53 ¥57.6

2.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$12.89 ¥87.1

6.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$41.05 ¥277

10.65%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$14.13 ¥95.5

41.54%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$6.78 ¥45.85

22.42%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$450 ¥3,038

181.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$20.2K ¥136.5K

56.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$49.29 ¥333

17.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$29.86 ¥202

27.03%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$75.6 ¥511

1.88%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$77.8 ¥526

24.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$280 ¥1,894

240.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$139 ¥937

300.27%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$567 ¥3,829

340.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$281 ¥1,901

328.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$2,249 ¥15.2K

535.53%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$4,385 ¥29.6K

51.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$1,037 ¥7,009

64.06%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.04

-11.39%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Shantou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $280 in Shantou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 64% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $17.00 in Shantou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $210 per month, with Shantou 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 Shantou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Shantou differ by about 69% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $705 including rent). Shantou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 64% higher in Shanghai, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $955 in Shanghai versus $280 in Shantou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $450 in Shantou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 8% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $705 in Shantou versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shantou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Shantou 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 Shantou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 69% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.