Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Yantai Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Yantai

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,247 in Shanghai versus $630 in Yantai.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,010 in Shanghai versus $933 in Yantai.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,773 in Shanghai versus $1,235 in Yantai.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 98% more expensive than in Yantai, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 9% lower, Yantai 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.36 ¥29.29

$2.99 ¥20.08

45.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.84 ¥200

$18.18 ¥122

64.14%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥34.03

$4.43 ¥29.75

14.45%

Cappuccino

$3.38 ¥22.71

$2.75 ¥18.45

22.91%

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

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.51 ¥3.42

15.69%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.32 ¥2.16

12.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.16 ¥7.76

$1.12 ¥7.54

3.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.38 ¥15.95

$2.58 ¥17.28

-7.75%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.89

$1.97 ¥13.21

5.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.22

$1.34 ¥9.02

47.01%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.49

$0.90 ¥6.03

7.78%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.25

$1.30 ¥8.71

29.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.91 ¥113

$16.07 ¥108

5.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥22.72

$3.26 ¥21.87

3.99%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.2

$6.64 ¥44.53

98.04%

Apples (1kg)

$2.32 ¥15.59

$1.30 ¥8.75

78.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.72

$0.84 ¥5.63

108.33%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.06 ¥7.08

88.68%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.76

$0.78 ¥5.21

124.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.48

$0.72 ¥4.82

13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.73

$0.78 ¥5.21

28.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.58 ¥3.87

12.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$0.56 ¥3.77

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.41 ¥29.59

$3.74 ¥25.10

17.91%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.17 ¥75.0

$11.40 ¥76.5

-2.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.33

$0.73 ¥4.89

28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.56 ¥10.48

$1.06 ¥7.11

47.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.23 ¥1.55

152.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.43 ¥197

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.02

$1.36 ¥9.13

64.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.29 ¥1.94

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.77 ¥58.8

$6.49 ¥43.55

35.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.25 ¥8.41

$1.22 ¥8.21

2.46%

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

$19.7K ¥132.1K

$19.6K ¥131.3K

0.61%

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

$18.2K ¥122.3K

$16.5K ¥110.7K

10.54%

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

$61.6 ¥413

$44.79 ¥301

37.55%

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

$8.45 ¥56.7

$6.87 ¥46.13

23.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.41 ¥69.9

$5.99 ¥40.17

73.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.7 ¥467

$29.63 ¥199

135.10%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥110

$7.62 ¥51.1

114.96%

Cinema Ticket

$8.84 ¥59.3

$5.54 ¥37.19

59.57%

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

$1,383 ¥9,278

$363 ¥2,436

280.91%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.0K ¥181.1K

$16.2K ¥108.4K

67.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.9 ¥348

$17.61 ¥118

194.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.86 ¥254

$22.33 ¥150

69.55%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.9 ¥503

$91.9 ¥617

-18.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$89.6 ¥601

17.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$985 ¥6,608

$221 ¥1,482

345.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,838

$147 ¥984

289.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,470 ¥16.6K

$362 ¥2,432

581.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,197 ¥8,034

$147 ¥984

716.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.7K ¥91.6K

$2,986 ¥20.0K

357.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,149 ¥41.3K

$5,132 ¥34.4K

19.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$1,044 ¥7,007

66.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.37

-0.59%

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

Last update for Shanghai: August 30, 2026

Last update for Yantai: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $985 in Shanghai and $221 in Yantai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 66% 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: $30.00 in Shanghai vs $18.00 in Yantai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $242 vs $187 per month, with Yantai 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 Yantai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Yantai differ by about 98% in total monthly costs ($1,247 vs $630 including rent). Yantai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 66% 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: $985 in Shanghai versus $221 in Yantai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 29% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,247 per month in Shanghai versus $630 in Yantai – a 98% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $630 in Yantai versus $1,247 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yantai but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Yantai 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 Yantai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 98% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.