Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Xiamen Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Xiamen

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,212 in Shanghai versus $788 in Xiamen.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,973 in Shanghai versus $1,251 in Xiamen.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,733 in Shanghai versus $1,713 in Xiamen.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 54% more expensive than in Xiamen, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Xiamen 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.00 ¥33.78

$2.72 ¥18.37

83.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.98 ¥243

$22.61 ¥153

59.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.54 ¥37.39

$5.70 ¥38.53

-2.81%

Cappuccino

$3.53 ¥23.85

$2.72 ¥18.41

29.78%

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

$0.57 ¥3.87

$0.48 ¥3.21

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.26

$0.29 ¥1.95

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$1.43 ¥9.66

-2.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.65

$3.50 ¥23.64

-21.14%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.19 ¥14.78

$1.79 ¥12.12

22.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$2.18 ¥14.72

-17.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$0.76 ¥5.12

44.74%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.26

$1.34 ¥9.05

24.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.24 ¥103

$10.92 ¥73.8

39.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.09 ¥20.85

$2.26 ¥15.27

36.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.10 ¥75.0

$11.01 ¥74.3

0.82%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.87

$2.43 ¥16.42

-3.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.84

$1.32 ¥8.95

32.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.00

$1.51 ¥10.21

17.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.90

$1.83 ¥12.39

-20.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$0.91 ¥6.18

-12.09%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.47

$1.65 ¥11.17

-32.73%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.31

$0.81 ¥5.44

-20.99%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.50 ¥3.40

20.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.22

$2.80 ¥18.93

1.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.72 ¥79.1

$11.14 ¥75.3

5.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.41

$0.74 ¥5.01

8.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.93

$1.65 ¥11.16

-1.82%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.74

$0.22 ¥1.49

86.36%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.37 ¥232

$10.98 ¥74.2

213.02%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.19 ¥14.77

$1.36 ¥9.16

61.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.26 ¥1.75

46.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.11 ¥54.8

$6.64 ¥44.87

22.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$1.18 ¥8.00

-7.63%

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

$19.8K ¥133.8K

$16.7K ¥112.9K

18.59%

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

$17.8K ¥120.0K

$17.5K ¥118.3K

1.43%

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

$52.5 ¥354

$39.52 ¥267

32.72%

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

$8.46 ¥57.2

$9.86 ¥66.6

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.57 ¥91.6

$9.97 ¥67.3

36.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.06 ¥311

$44.15 ¥298

4.33%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.95 ¥135

$9.70 ¥65.5

105.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.25 ¥55.7

$9.55 ¥64.5

-13.61%

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

$1,280 ¥8,648

$465 ¥3,140

175.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.1K ¥210.3K

$21.9K ¥148.2K

41.91%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.3 ¥400

$43.26 ¥292

37.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.99 ¥257

$26.48 ¥179

43.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥521

$86.2 ¥582

-10.49%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.9 ¥655

$80.0 ¥540

21.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$946 ¥6,390

$325 ¥2,195

191.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$555 ¥3,746

$248 ¥1,672

123.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,457 ¥16.6K

$863 ¥5,827

184.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,201 ¥8,109

$506 ¥3,419

137.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥95.3K

$8,515 ¥57.5K

65.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,646 ¥44.9K

$4,685 ¥31.6K

41.85%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,741 ¥11.8K

$1,121 ¥7,569

55.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.56

0.56%

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

Last update for Shanghai: July 26, 2026

Last update for Xiamen: July 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $946 in Shanghai and $325 in Xiamen. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 55% 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 $23.00 in Xiamen for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $227 vs $205 per month, with Xiamen 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 Xiamen: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Xiamen differ by about 54% in total monthly costs ($1,212 vs $788 including rent). Xiamen is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 55% 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: $946 in Shanghai versus $325 in Xiamen. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,280 in Shanghai versus $465 in Xiamen. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 11% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $788 in Xiamen versus $1,212 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Xiamen but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Xiamen 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 Xiamen gentler on the wallet – expenses run 54% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.