Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tengzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tengzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $709 in Tengzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,126 in Tengzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,542 in Tengzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 76% more expensive than in Tengzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Tengzhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.81 ¥18.85

55.16%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$21.93 ¥147

36.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.99 ¥33.49

1.60%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$3.06 ¥20.55

10.46%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.46 ¥3.11

28.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.27 ¥1.79

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.89 ¥6.00

30.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.07 ¥13.90

14.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.81 ¥12.16

14.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.56 ¥10.43

26.28%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.91 ¥6.10

6.59%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.53 ¥10.26

9.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$12.65 ¥84.9

33.68%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.13 ¥20.99

8.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$10.02 ¥67.2

31.24%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.86 ¥12.48

24.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.25 ¥8.40

40.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.49 ¥10.02

34.23%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.14 ¥7.67

53.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.71 ¥4.75

15.49%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.97 ¥6.52

3.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.59 ¥3.97

10.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.55 ¥3.66

18.18%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.08 ¥20.63

43.18%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$10.51 ¥70.5

6.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.73 ¥4.93

28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.59 ¥10.66

-1.89%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.29 ¥1.96

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$16.47 ¥111

78.69%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.38 ¥9.25

62.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.35 ¥2.38

22.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$6.63 ¥44.48

32.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.13 ¥7.58

10.62%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.6K ¥131.3K

0.59%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$17.1K ¥114.7K

6.71%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$44.53 ¥299

38.36%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$10.04 ¥67.3

-15.84%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$11.50 ¥77.2

-9.48%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$41.95 ¥281

66.05%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$13.85 ¥93.0

18.27%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.84 ¥39.18

51.37%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$331 ¥2,223

317.37%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$16.8K ¥112.4K

61.06%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$44.34 ¥298

16.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$29.90 ¥201

26.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$70.5 ¥473

6.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$73.2 ¥491

44.00%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$274 ¥1,841

258.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$194 ¥1,302

194.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$594 ¥3,984

315.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$366 ¥2,453

227.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,999 ¥20.1K

355.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$2,032 ¥13.6K

202.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.89

-13.88%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tengzhou: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $274 in Tengzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $22.00 in Tengzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $196 per month, with Tengzhou 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 Tengzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Tengzhou differ by about 76% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $709 including rent). Tengzhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,871 in Shanghai and $1,064 in Tengzhou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $985 in Shanghai versus $274 in Tengzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $331 in Tengzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 23% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $709 in Tengzhou versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Tengzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Tengzhou 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 Tengzhou 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 Tengzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 76% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.