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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $658 in Shenyang.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,080 in Shenyang.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,503 in Shenyang.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 84% more expensive than Shenyang, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Shenyang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.15

$2.85 ¥19.24

71.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥245

$20.79 ¥141

74.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.82

$4.78 ¥32.30

16.95%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.02

$2.70 ¥18.23

31.48%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.45 ¥3.05

26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.38 ¥2.55

-5.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$0.87 ¥5.87

64.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.24

$2.03 ¥13.74

40.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.59

$1.94 ¥13.09

11.34%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.89 ¥12.77

-5.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.99 ¥6.72

11.11%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.43

$1.09 ¥7.39

55.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥103

$9.52 ¥64.4

60.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.11

$2.92 ¥19.76

6.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.7

$12.09 ¥81.8

-11.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.40 ¥9.44

61.43%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.02 ¥6.92

63.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.16

$0.81 ¥5.49

122.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.24 ¥8.36

23.39%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.51 ¥3.46

58.82%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.61 ¥4.14

81.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.41 ¥2.75

65.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.63 ¥4.29

-11.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.18

$3.22 ¥21.74

-11.80%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$16.71 ¥113

-30.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.72 ¥4.86

9.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.06

$0.95 ¥6.41

72.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.37 ¥2.47

16.22%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$11.72 ¥79.2

193.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.91

$1.28 ¥8.64

72.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.28 ¥1.90

35.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.6

$3.45 ¥23.31

142.90%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.14 ¥7.73

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

$19.5K ¥132.1K

$18.1K ¥122.3K

8.06%

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

$18.1K ¥122.7K

$18.8K ¥127.2K

-3.55%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$66.5 ¥450

-20.63%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$14.49 ¥98.0

-41.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$13.72 ¥92.8

0.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$20.58 ¥139

128.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$6.21 ¥41.98

219.00%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$4.82 ¥32.62

75.52%

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

$1,303 ¥8,808

$466 ¥3,151

179.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.5K

$25.0K ¥169.3K

26.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$48.92 ¥331

21.79%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$31.25 ¥211

21.89%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$73.8 ¥499

6.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$78.4 ¥530

26.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,306

$231 ¥1,560

304.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,854

$145 ¥983

292.03%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$510 ¥3,448

388.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,062

$328 ¥2,216

263.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$2,285 ¥15.5K

512.18%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$1,313 ¥8,880

412.41%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,089 ¥7,365

55.05%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

5.27

-32.07%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Shenyang: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $231 in Shenyang. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 55% 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 $21.00 in Shenyang for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 vs $200 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 84% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $658 including rent). Shenyang is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Shanghai pays 55% more on average, 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $231 in Shenyang. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $466 in Shenyang. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $658 in Shenyang versus $1,209 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 84% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.