Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Shumen Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Shumen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $891 in Shumen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,377 in Shumen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,864 in Shumen.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 34% more expensive than in Shumen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Shumen 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.97

$9.76 BGN 16.23

-51.64%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$29.74 BGN 49.47

20.78%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.81

$8.80 BGN 14.64

-34.77%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.80

$1.66 BGN 2.77

112.05%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$1.36 BGN 2.27

-58.09%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.71 BGN 1.18

-53.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.20

$2.07 BGN 3.44

-34.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$2.32 BGN 3.86

22.41%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.20

$1.69 BGN 2.82

24.26%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.15

$0.88 BGN 1.46

104.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.13

$1.96 BGN 3.25

-46.43%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.35

$3.18 BGN 5.28

-47.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$9.45 BGN 15.72

66.98%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.43

$5.82 BGN 9.69

-45.53%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.6

$11.59 BGN 19.29

-4.92%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.08

$1.71 BGN 2.85

39.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.47

$2.12 BGN 3.53

-20.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$2.01 BGN 3.34

-11.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.83

$2.28 BGN 3.79

-36.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.64

$1.51 BGN 2.51

-45.03%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.64

$1.31 BGN 2.18

-13.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.57

$0.95 BGN 1.58

-28.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$0.74 BGN 1.24

-18.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.06

$3.58 BGN 5.96

-21.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.5

$7.12 BGN 11.84

64.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.28

$1.02 BGN 1.70

-23.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.64

$1.59 BGN 2.65

-1.26%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.94 BGN 1.56

-56.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$26.34 BGN 43.82

33.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.28

$1.27 BGN 2.12

77.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.31 BGN 0.51

19.35%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.4

$12.84 BGN 21.36

-36.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.80

$1.53 BGN 2.55

-24.84%

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

$19.3K ¥130.5K

$32.6K BGN 54.2K

-40.77%

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

$17.7K ¥120.0K

$25.1K BGN 41.7K

-29.31%

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

$53.0 ¥359

$94.9 BGN 158

-44.12%

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

$8.77 ¥59.4

$16.33 BGN 27.17

-46.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.3

$13.65 BGN 22.71

0.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$39.03 BGN 64.9

16.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$11.87 BGN 19.74

68.49%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.2

$7.02 BGN 11.68

18.23%

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

$1,264 ¥8,555

$238 BGN 396

431.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.3K

$10.6K BGN 17.6K

198.82%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$54.7 BGN 90.9

5.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥257

$42.33 BGN 70.4

-10.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥521

$83.8 BGN 139

-8.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥655

$71.5 BGN 119

35.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,466

$278 BGN 462

243.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,755

$190 BGN 316

192.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$495 BGN 823

404.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,166

$323 BGN 537

273.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.7K

$1,274 BGN 2,120

1021.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,015 BGN 1,689

552.47%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$1,019 BGN 1,696

66.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

4.57

-21.66%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Shumen: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $278 in Shumen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 67% 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 $30.00 in Shumen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $222 per month, with Shumen 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 Shumen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Shumen differ by about 34% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $891 including rent). Shumen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 67% 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 $278 in Shumen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $238 in Shumen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 3% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $891 in Shumen versus $1,192 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shumen but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Shumen 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.

Safety-wise, Shanghai and Shumen are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Shumen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 34% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.