Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Sibiu Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Sibiu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $1,178 in Sibiu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,732 in Sibiu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $2,285 in Sibiu.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 6% more expensive than in Sibiu, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Sibiu 14% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$8.74 RON 39.48

-50.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$43.54 RON 197

-31.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$7.95 RON 35.89

-36.23%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$3.27 RON 14.75

3.36%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$2.16 RON 9.75

-72.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$1.89 RON 8.54

-80.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$3.38 RON 15.28

-65.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$3.97 RON 17.94

-40.05%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.45 RON 6.56

42.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.19 RON 5.38

65.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$1.45 RON 6.55

-33.10%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$3.68 RON 16.62

-54.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$8.52 RON 38.49

98.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$6.36 RON 28.71

-46.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$8.22 RON 37.13

59.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.22 RON 5.52

90.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.56 RON 7.06

12.18%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.52 RON 6.87

31.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$2.73 RON 12.33

-35.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.70 RON 3.18

17.14%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.68 RON 3.06

47.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$1.04 RON 4.68

-37.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.92 RON 4.17

-29.35%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$6.23 RON 28.13

-29.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$7.85 RON 35.47

42.29%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.95 RON 4.28

-1.05%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.47 RON 6.64

6.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.79 RON 3.59

-26.58%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$18.07 RON 81.6

62.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.00 RON 4.52

124.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.90 RON 4.07

-52.22%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$8.64 RON 39.01

1.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.85 RON 8.35

-32.43%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$30.1K RON 135.9K

-34.57%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$26.6K RON 120.0K

-31.39%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$119 RON 540

-48.43%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$9.48 RON 42.80

-10.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$12.69 RON 57.3

-17.97%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$36.45 RON 165

91.11%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$14.68 RON 66.3

11.58%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$7.12 RON 32.15

24.16%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$455 RON 2,055

203.98%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$6,957 RON 31.4K

287.92%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$79.6 RON 360

-34.88%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$34.09 RON 154

11.06%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$92.3 RON 417

-18.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$92.6 RON 418

13.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$458 RON 2,071

114.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$431 RON 1,947

32.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$859 RON 3,880

187.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$631 RON 2,848

89.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,524 RON 11.4K

441.08%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$2,150 RON 9,709

186.05%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$1,161 RON 5,245

49.29%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

7.02

-52.28%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Sibiu: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $458 in Sibiu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 49% 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 $44.00 in Sibiu. Groceries flip the comparison at $242 vs $206, with Sibiu cheaper for home cooking.

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 Sibiu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Sibiu differ by about 6% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $1,178 including rent). Sibiu is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 49% 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 $458 in Sibiu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $455 in Sibiu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 17% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,178 in Sibiu versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Sibiu but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Sibiu 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 Sibiu 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 Sibiu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 6% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.