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: $1,192 in Shanghai versus $710 in Tonghua.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,958 in Shanghai versus $1,116 in Tonghua.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,724 in Shanghai versus $1,521 in Tonghua.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 68% more expensive than in Tonghua, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Tonghua 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.72 ¥31.92

$2.81 ¥18.97

67.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.92 ¥243

$20.55 ¥139

74.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.74 ¥38.75

$5.02 ¥33.89

14.34%

Cappuccino

$3.52 ¥23.76

$2.92 ¥19.73

20.55%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.44 ¥2.96

29.55%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.25

$0.27 ¥1.80

22.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.36 ¥9.18

$0.94 ¥6.37

44.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.84 ¥19.17

$2.03 ¥13.74

39.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.10 ¥14.18

$1.62 ¥10.96

29.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.80 ¥12.13

$1.55 ¥10.46

16.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.12

$0.96 ¥6.47

9.38%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.33

$1.58 ¥10.67

6.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.78 ¥107

$13.01 ¥87.9

21.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.17 ¥21.39

$3.21 ¥21.69

-1.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.02 ¥74.5

$10.02 ¥67.7

9.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.38 ¥16.05

$1.72 ¥11.61

38.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.24 ¥8.41

36.29%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.05

$1.41 ¥9.50

26.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.82

$1.08 ¥7.31

34.26%

Potato (1kg)

$0.83 ¥5.63

$0.73 ¥4.96

13.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.62

$0.92 ¥6.24

22.83%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.56

$0.60 ¥4.07

13.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.05

$0.50 ¥3.41

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.82 ¥19.03

$3.19 ¥21.58

-11.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.74 ¥79.3

$11.96 ¥80.8

-1.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.27

$0.75 ¥5.08

4.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.62

$1.63 ¥11.03

-3.68%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.29 ¥1.98

41.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$35.05 ¥237

$16.69 ¥113

110.01%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.26 ¥15.26

$1.43 ¥9.67

58.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.52

$0.33 ¥2.21

12.12%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.18 ¥55.3

$6.59 ¥44.52

24.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.18 ¥7.97

-2.54%

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

$19.3K ¥130.3K

$19.1K ¥129.4K

0.72%

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

$17.7K ¥119.8K

$16.4K ¥111.1K

7.85%

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

$53.0 ¥358

$45.78 ¥309

15.81%

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

$8.77 ¥59.3

$9.63 ¥65.1

-8.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.78 ¥93.1

$11.40 ¥77.0

20.88%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.42 ¥307

$41.33 ¥279

9.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.00 ¥135

$14.02 ¥94.7

42.65%

Cinema Ticket

$8.30 ¥56.1

$6.29 ¥42.53

31.96%

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

$1,264 ¥8,542

$335 ¥2,262

277.69%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.0K

$17.2K ¥116.1K

84.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.7 ¥390

$42.90 ¥290

34.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.93 ¥256

$30.63 ¥207

23.83%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥520

$71.6 ¥484

7.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.7 ¥654

$74.8 ¥505

29.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$955 ¥6,456

$283 ¥1,911

237.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,749

$190 ¥1,286

191.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,497 ¥16.9K

$583 ¥3,938

328.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 ¥8,154

$362 ¥2,444

233.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.3K ¥96.6K

$3,060 ¥20.7K

367.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,625 ¥44.8K

$1,832 ¥12.4K

261.67%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,702 ¥11.5K

$502 ¥3,390

239.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.87

-7.49%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 11, 2026

Last update for Tonghua: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $955 in Shanghai and $283 in Tonghua. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 239% 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 Tonghua for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $198 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 68% in total monthly costs ($1,192 vs $710 including rent). Tonghua is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 239% 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 $283 in Tonghua. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,264 in Shanghai versus $335 in Tonghua. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 15% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $710 in Tonghua versus $1,192 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 68% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.