Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Shaoxing Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Shaoxing

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $765 in Shaoxing.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,217 in Shaoxing.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,668 in Shaoxing.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 63% more expensive than in Shaoxing, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Shaoxing 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.25

$3.70 ¥24.79

17.84%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$22.25 ¥149

34.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.99

$5.05 ¥33.84

0.40%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.68

$2.58 ¥17.28

31.01%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.56 ¥3.77

5.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.36 ¥2.42

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.75

$1.13 ¥7.59

2.65%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.93

$2.49 ¥16.68

-4.42%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.87

$2.00 ¥13.42

3.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.20

$1.98 ¥13.28

-0.51%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.48

$0.74 ¥4.96

31.08%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.23

$1.68 ¥11.24

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$11.29 ¥75.7

49.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.69

$3.34 ¥22.36

1.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.1

$10.53 ¥70.6

24.88%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.57

$1.76 ¥11.81

31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.71

$1.76 ¥11.76

-0.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.41

$1.62 ¥10.85

23.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.74

$1.06 ¥7.13

65.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.84 ¥5.64

-2.38%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.96 ¥6.41

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$0.61 ¥4.07

6.56%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.34

$0.70 ¥4.70

-7.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.55

$3.28 ¥21.97

34.45%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥74.9

$10.38 ¥69.5

7.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$0.75 ¥5.03

25.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.47

$1.62 ¥10.82

-3.70%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$0.23 ¥1.54

152.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$19.87 ¥133

48.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.00

$1.90 ¥12.75

17.89%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.43 ¥2.90

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$8.66 ¥58.0

1.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.40

$1.28 ¥8.57

-2.34%

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

$19.7K ¥131.9K

$19.5K ¥130.6K

1.03%

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

$18.2K ¥122.2K

$18.5K ¥124.1K

-1.52%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$47.67 ¥319

29.24%

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

$8.45 ¥56.6

$8.73 ¥58.5

-3.21%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.8

$8.98 ¥60.2

15.92%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$15.57 ¥104

347.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$6.87 ¥46.07

138.43%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.2

$6.87 ¥46.06

28.68%

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

$1,383 ¥9,267

$831 ¥5,567

66.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥180.8K

$24.8K ¥166.3K

8.73%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥347

$39.69 ¥266

30.64%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$31.07 ¥208

21.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥502

$74.7 ¥501

0.27%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥706

$106 ¥711

-0.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,600

$423 ¥2,834

132.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,833

$227 ¥1,524

151.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.5K

$591 ¥3,958

318.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,023

$445 ¥2,980

169.27%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.5K

$6,402 ¥42.9K

113.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.2K

$3,627 ¥24.3K

69.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$897 ¥6,008

93.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shaoxing: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $423 in Shaoxing. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 93% 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: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $22.00 in Shaoxing for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $206 per month, with Shaoxing 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 Shaoxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Shaoxing differ by about 63% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $765 including rent). Shaoxing is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 93% 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $423 in Shaoxing. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $831 in Shaoxing. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 18% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $765 in Shaoxing versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shaoxing but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Shaoxing 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 Shaoxing gentler on the wallet – expenses run 63% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.