Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Yangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Yangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,219 in Shanghai versus $680 in Yangzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,966 in Shanghai versus $1,087 in Yangzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,713 in Shanghai versus $1,495 in Yangzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 79% more expensive than in Yangzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Yangzhou 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.52 ¥30.27

$2.26 ¥15.13

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.28 ¥196

$11.00 ¥73.7

166.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.26 ¥35.27

$2.97 ¥19.89

77.10%

Cappuccino

$3.18 ¥21.31

$2.52 ¥16.89

26.19%

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

$0.62 ¥4.13

$0.47 ¥3.14

31.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.21 ¥1.41

71.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$1.03 ¥6.88

13.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.34

$1.99 ¥13.34

37.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.16 ¥7.74

63.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.69

$1.95 ¥13.09

-3.08%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.86

$0.75 ¥5.01

36.00%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.90

$1.03 ¥6.90

58.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.20 ¥115

$13.99 ¥93.7

22.94%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.21

$2.66 ¥17.84

18.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.12 ¥87.9

$7.01 ¥46.96

87.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 ¥14.26

$0.73 ¥4.91

191.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.13

$1.75 ¥11.75

3.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.26

$0.46 ¥3.09

330.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.76

$1.04 ¥6.97

54.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.18

$0.74 ¥4.99

4.05%

Onion (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

$0.66 ¥4.44

36.36%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.66 ¥4.40

$0.78 ¥5.23

-15.38%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.71 ¥4.78

-14.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.43

$3.05 ¥20.42

24.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.37 ¥69.5

$12.14 ¥81.4

-14.58%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 ¥5.88

$0.93 ¥6.23

-5.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.55 ¥10.41

$1.92 ¥12.83

-19.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.33 ¥2.20

78.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$30.00 ¥201

$16.53 ¥111

81.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.16 ¥7.79

86.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.89

$0.28 ¥1.90

53.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.04 ¥60.6

$3.64 ¥24.38

148.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.16 ¥7.79

8.62%

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

$19.4K ¥130.3K

$19.0K ¥127.3K

2.39%

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

$18.7K ¥125.3K

$16.3K ¥109.3K

14.66%

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

$57.5 ¥386

$48.67 ¥326

18.22%

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

$8.41 ¥56.4

$8.02 ¥53.8

4.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.08 ¥67.6

$11.64 ¥78.0

-13.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.3 ¥437

$40.48 ¥271

61.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.29 ¥116

$16.45 ¥110

5.11%

Cinema Ticket

$8.98 ¥60.2

$6.18 ¥41.41

45.31%

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

$1,411 ¥9,455

$242 ¥1,624

482.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥189.2K

$7,585 ¥50.8K

272.24%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$52.0 ¥348

$89.8 ¥602

-42.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.39 ¥251

$32.72 ¥219

14.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.7 ¥494

$64.5 ¥432

14.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥704

$88.5 ¥593

18.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$982 ¥6,577

$248 ¥1,664

295.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,787

$164 ¥1,099

244.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,419 ¥16.2K

$594 ¥3,979

307.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,166 ¥7,810

$388 ¥2,597

200.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,539 ¥17.0K

438.59%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,118 ¥41.0K

$1,792 ¥12.0K

241.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,743 ¥11.7K

$1,287 ¥8,622

35.44%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.38

3.1

9.03%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 14, 2026

Last update for Yangzhou: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $982 in Shanghai and $248 in Yangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 35% 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 $11.00 in Yangzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $184 per month, with Yangzhou 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 Yangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Yangzhou differ by about 79% in total monthly costs ($1,219 vs $680 including rent). Yangzhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 35% 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 $248 in Yangzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,411 in Shanghai versus $242 in Yangzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $680 in Yangzhou versus $1,219 in Shanghai, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Yangzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Yangzhou 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 Yangzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 79% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.