Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tulcea Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tulcea

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Shanghai versus $1,039 in Tulcea.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Shanghai versus $1,641 in Tulcea.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,713 in Shanghai versus $2,242 in Tulcea.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 17% more expensive than in Tulcea, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Tulcea 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.26

$11.94 RON 54.8

-62.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$48.25 RON 221

-39.32%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.26

$8.01 RON 36.75

-34.33%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.30

$2.23 RON 10.23

42.60%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$2.16 RON 9.91

-71.30%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$1.11 RON 5.11

-67.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$2.22 RON 10.16

-47.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.33

$2.16 RON 9.92

26.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.69 RON 7.74

12.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.13 RON 5.17

67.26%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$1.56 RON 7.16

-34.62%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.89

$3.36 RON 15.41

-51.49%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$8.33 RON 38.20

106.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.20

$6.88 RON 31.55

-54.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$9.54 RON 43.75

37.53%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$1.37 RON 6.31

55.47%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.74 RON 7.99

4.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.25

$1.51 RON 6.92

31.13%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.75

$2.05 RON 9.42

-21.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.76 RON 3.47

1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.80 RON 3.69

12.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.67 RON 3.08

-1.49%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.84 RON 3.87

-27.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.42

$6.64 RON 30.47

-42.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.4

$6.49 RON 29.76

59.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$0.99 RON 4.56

-11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.40

$1.50 RON 6.88

3.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$1.07 RON 4.91

-44.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$19.16 RON 87.9

56.58%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.49

$0.69 RON 3.18

213.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.64 RON 2.94

-32.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.5

$6.54 RON 30.03

38.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.86 RON 8.55

-32.26%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$28.9K RON 132.7K

-32.76%

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

$18.7K ¥125.2K

$26.2K RON 120.4K

-28.73%

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

$57.5 ¥385

$140 RON 642

-58.86%

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

$8.41 ¥56.3

$8.37 RON 38.40

0.48%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$9.21 RON 42.25

9.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$33.53 RON 154

94.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$17.45 RON 80.1

-0.92%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$8.60 RON 39.44

4.42%

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

$1,411 ¥9,452

$332 RON 1,524

324.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.1K

$3,274 RON 15.0K

762.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$54.7 RON 251

-4.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥250

$33.15 RON 152

12.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥493

$94.9 RON 436

-22.40%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$102 RON 468

3.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,574

$368 RON 1,688

166.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,786

$294 RON 1,348

92.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$625 RON 2,869

286.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,807

$545 RON 2,503

113.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$1,071 RON 4,913

1176.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$922 RON 4,229

563.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$686 RON 3,148

154.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

6.85

-50.66%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Tulcea: September 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Shanghai and $368 in Tulcea. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 154% 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: $29.00 in Shanghai vs $48.00 in Tulcea. Groceries flip the comparison at $235 vs $207, with Tulcea 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 Tulcea: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Tulcea differ by about 17% in total monthly costs ($1,219 vs $1,039 including rent). Tulcea is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 154% 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: $982 in Shanghai versus $368 in Tulcea. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,411 in Shanghai versus $332 in Tulcea. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,039 in Tulcea versus $1,219 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tulcea but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Tulcea 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 Tulcea 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 Tulcea gentler on the wallet – expenses run 17% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.