Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tonghua Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tonghua

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $634 in Tonghua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $1,040 in Tonghua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,445 in Tonghua.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 97% more expensive than in Tonghua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Tonghua 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.19 ¥14.67

99.09%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$22.17 ¥149

34.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$5.24 ¥35.14

-3.24%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.19 ¥14.69

54.34%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.43 ¥2.91

37.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.35 ¥2.37

2.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$0.73 ¥4.89

58.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$1.90 ¥12.76

25.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.67 ¥11.19

23.95%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$2.07 ¥13.87

-4.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$1.03 ¥6.90

-5.83%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.00 ¥6.73

68.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$13.84 ¥92.8

22.18%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.01 ¥20.17

12.62%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$6.80 ¥45.63

93.38%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$0.98 ¥6.59

136.73%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$1.02 ¥6.86

71.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$0.81 ¥5.43

146.91%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$1.06 ¥7.13

65.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.85 ¥5.71

-3.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$1.06 ¥7.11

-5.66%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.57 ¥3.80

14.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.68 ¥4.58

-4.41%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.78 ¥25.38

16.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$11.71 ¥78.6

-4.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.64 ¥4.28

46.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.13 ¥7.58

38.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.31 ¥2.11

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

$17.51 ¥117

68.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$0.91 ¥6.10

146.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.38 ¥2.56

13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$3.01 ¥20.21

191.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.0K ¥127.2K

3.86%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$17.2K ¥115.5K

5.90%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$23.29 ¥156

164.53%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$6.11 ¥41.03

38.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$9.07 ¥60.9

14.77%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$41.39 ¥278

68.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$14.85 ¥99.6

10.30%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.82 ¥39.07

51.89%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$294 ¥1,972

370.51%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$15.1K ¥101.2K

78.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$22.47 ¥151

130.75%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$36.51 ¥245

3.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$60.1 ¥404

24.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$70.1 ¥470

50.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$290 ¥1,945

239.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$184 ¥1,235

210.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$613 ¥4,113

302.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$374 ¥2,508

220.28%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$3,138 ¥21.1K

335.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$1,965 ¥13.2K

212.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$509 ¥3,413

240.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

-16.25%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Tonghua: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $290 in Tonghua. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 241% 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 Tonghua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $186 per month, with Tonghua 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 Tonghua: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Tonghua differ by about 97% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $634 including rent). Tonghua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 241% 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 $290 in Tonghua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,383 in Shanghai versus $294 in Tonghua. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 30% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $634 in Tonghua versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tonghua but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Tonghua 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 Tonghua gentler on the wallet – expenses run 97% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.