Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Tumon

For one person, living is cheaper in Tumon: $429 a month against $1,256 in Shanghai, rent and utilities included – about $9,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,256

/mo nomad

Tumon

🇬🇺 Guam

$429

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Tumon

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Shanghai and in Tumon actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,256 in Shanghai versus $429 in Tumon.

Shanghai $1,256
Tumon $429

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $2,002 in Tumon.

Shanghai $1,999
Tumon $2,002

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,743 in Shanghai versus $3,574 in Tumon.

Shanghai $2,743
Tumon $3,574

Living in Shanghai is roughly 193% more expensive than in Tumon, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 7% lower, Tumon 68% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 ¥29.78

$25.37 $25.37

-82.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.29 ¥203

$51.7 $51.7

-41.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.09 ¥34.01

$12.95 $12.95

-60.69%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥22.96

$6.01 $6.01

-42.93%

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

$0.62 ¥4.15

$3.05 $3.05

-79.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$3.03 $3.03

-87.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.25

$7.12 $7.12

-82.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.81

$8.88 $8.88

-75.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.85 ¥12.37

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 ¥13.02

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.67

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.43

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.47 ¥117

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥21.66

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.99 ¥86.8

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥14.98

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 ¥11.25

Oranges (1kg)

$1.95 ¥13.03

Tomato (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.60

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.10

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.15

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.41

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.00

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.69 ¥24.65

Wine (Bottle)

$10.92 ¥73.0

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.85

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.87

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.13

$6.87 $6.87

-90.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.38 ¥203

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.06 ¥13.79

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.46 ¥3.08

$1.94 $1.94

-76.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.84 ¥59.1

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.86

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

$19.3K ¥128.7K

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$29.1K $29.1K

-37.35%

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

$57.1 ¥382

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

$8.07 ¥53.9

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.70 ¥71.5

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.6 ¥432

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

Cinema Ticket

$9.05 ¥60.5

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

$1,441 ¥9,638

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥188.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ¥358

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.05 ¥248

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥515

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$104 ¥694

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,023 ¥6,841

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$594 ¥3,971

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,563 ¥17.1K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,213 ¥8,107

$2,433 $2,433

-50.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.5K ¥90.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,247 ¥41.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,699 ¥11.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 18, 2026

Last update for Tumon: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$594 47.3%

Tumon

–

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$238 18.9%

Tumon

–

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.7%

Tumon

–

Eating Out

Shanghai

$107 8.5%

Tumon

–

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$83 6.6%

Tumon

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6%

Tumon

–

Getting Around

Shanghai

$37 3%

Tumon

–

Cost Breakdown

Dining out at a mid-range restaurant: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $52.0 in Tumon for two.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇬🇺 Tumon

🕒 Local time

02:47 2:47 AM

04:47 4:47 AM

2 h ahead of Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

44,943

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

United States Dollar USD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 USD = 0.89 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

United States Dollar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 EUR = 1.12 USD (1 USD = 0.89 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

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Shanghai Tumon 3,090 km ≈ 4 h 15 min nonstop flight

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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Tumon: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Tumon differ by about 193% in total monthly costs ($1,256 vs $429 including rent). Tumon is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,884 in Shanghai and $643 in Tumon 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.

Dining out is cheaper in Tumon – a meal for two runs $52.0 versus $30.00 in Shanghai. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,256 per month in Shanghai versus $429 in Tumon – a 193% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $429 in Tumon versus $1,256 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Tumon but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Tumon 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 Tumon 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 Tumon gentler on the wallet – expenses run 193% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.