Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Shenyang Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Shenyang

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $723 in Shenyang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,062 in Shenyang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,400 in Shenyang.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 72% more expensive than in Shenyang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Shenyang 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.88 ¥19.35

51.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$22.21 ¥149

34.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.04

$5.17 ¥34.68

-1.93%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.38 ¥15.96

42.02%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.46 ¥3.10

28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.38 ¥2.56

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.77

$0.85 ¥5.71

36.47%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.96

$1.89 ¥12.70

25.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.98 ¥13.28

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$2.42 ¥16.26

-18.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$1.05 ¥7.07

-7.62%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.01 ¥6.76

66.34%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$11.67 ¥78.3

12.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.76 ¥11.78

31.82%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.73

$1.22 ¥8.22

43.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.47 ¥9.89

19.05%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.74

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.57 ¥3.82

14.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.68 ¥4.59

-4.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.65 ¥24.48

20.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$16.40 ¥110

-31.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.70 ¥4.72

34.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.14 ¥7.63

36.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.39 ¥2.60

48.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$12.57 ¥84.4

134.13%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.33 ¥8.91

68.42%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.92

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$2.95 ¥19.77

197.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.26 ¥8.46

-0.79%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.3K ¥129.4K

2.05%

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

$18.2K ¥122.4K

$18.2K ¥122.1K

0.20%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$75.2 ¥505

-18.05%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$15.36 ¥103

-44.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$14.99 ¥101

-30.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$22.18 ¥149

214.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$10.63 ¥71.4

54.09%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$6.07 ¥40.76

45.63%

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

$1,383 ¥9,279

$553 ¥3,709

150.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$22.0K ¥147.5K

22.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$41.90 ¥281

23.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$59.4 ¥398

26.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$69.8 ¥468

51.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,609

$267 ¥1,793

268.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$240 ¥1,607

138.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$568 ¥3,809

335.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$404 ¥2,708

196.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,312 ¥15.5K

490.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,323 ¥8,875

364.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$1,111 ¥7,454

56.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

4.37

-23.34%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Shenyang: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $267 in Shenyang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 56% 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 Shenyang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $160 per month, with Shenyang 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 Shenyang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Shenyang differ by about 72% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $723 including rent). Shenyang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 56% 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 $267 in Shenyang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $553 in Shenyang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 51% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $723 in Shenyang versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Shenyang but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Shenyang 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 Shenyang gentler on the wallet – expenses run 72% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.