Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Yeosu

For one person, living is cheaper in Shanghai: $1,244 a month against $1,432 in Yeosu, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Yeosu despite lower rent and utilities.

61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
Learn more

Shanghai Living Index
70

Cost of Living Index in Yeosu
Learn more

Yeosu Living Index

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Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Yeosu

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,432

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Shanghai and in Yeosu

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 Yeosu actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,244 in Shanghai versus $1,432 in Yeosu.

Shanghai $1,244
Yeosu $1,432

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,999 in Shanghai versus $2,251 in Yeosu.

Shanghai $1,999
Yeosu $2,251

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,755 in Shanghai versus $3,070 in Yeosu.

Shanghai $2,755
Yeosu $3,070

Living in Shanghai costs roughly 13% less than in Yeosu, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Shanghai is 8% below, Yeosu is 6% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.43

$5.70 ₩7,603

-20.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.21 ¥202

$37.34 ₩49.8K

-19.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.25 ¥35.08

$5.80 ₩7,737

-9.48%

Cappuccino

$3.28 ¥21.91

$3.73 ₩4,977

-12.06%

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

$0.57 ¥3.84

$1.30 ₩1,740

-56.15%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.74 ₩982

-51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.23 ¥8.22

$3.81 ₩5,088

-67.72%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ¥15.16

$4.20 ₩5,602

-45.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.28

$2.05 ₩2,733

-10.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.06

$2.99 ₩3,992

-34.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.03 ¥6.86

$3.05 ₩4,066

-66.23%

Eggs

$1.67 ¥11.15

$2.71 ₩3,618

-38.38%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.96 ¥113

$11.11 ₩14.8K

52.66%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.19 ¥21.30

$10.52 ₩14.0K

-69.68%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.90 ¥86.1

$24.57 ₩32.8K

-47.50%

Apples (1kg)

$2.24 ¥14.98

$7.34 ₩9,793

-69.48%

Banana (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.12

$3.61 ₩4,818

-54.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.52

$7.57 ₩10.1K

-73.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.07

$5.85 ₩7,805

-71.62%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.17

$3.83 ₩5,113

-79.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.20

$3.28 ₩4,379

-71.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.18

$2.20 ₩2,930

-71.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.98

$1.11 ₩1,475

-45.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.40

$3.39 ₩4,521

12.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.87 ¥72.6

$14.77 ₩19.7K

-26.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ¥5.50

$2.22 ₩2,965

-63.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥10.75

$2.27 ₩3,028

-29.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.61 ¥4.11

$1.11 ₩1,477

-45.05%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.40 ¥196

$41.79 ₩55.8K

-29.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.11 ¥14.09

$2.85 ₩3,803

-25.96%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.86

$0.78 ₩1,042

-44.87%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.06 ¥60.5

$9.88 ₩13.2K

-8.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.33 ¥8.88

$1.15 ₩1,536

15.65%

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

$19.0K ¥127.0K

$28.8K ₩38.4M

-33.97%

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

$18.7K ¥124.9K

$27.4K ₩36.5M

-31.69%

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

$57.8 ¥386

$187 ₩248.9K

-69.02%

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

$8.09 ¥54.0

$37.11 ₩49.5K

-78.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.48 ¥69.9

$22.56 ₩30.1K

-53.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.7 ¥439

$51.3 ₩68.4K

28.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.82 ¥119

$12.15 ₩16.2K

46.67%

Cinema Ticket

$8.95 ¥59.8

$10.42 ₩13.9K

-14.11%

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

$1,414 ¥9,438

$368 ₩491.3K

283.88%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.9K ¥186.0K

$19.0K ₩25.3M

46.74%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.0 ¥360

$56.3 ₩75.1K

-4.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.09 ¥248

$37.74 ₩50.3K

-1.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥496

$74.2 ₩99.0K

0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥705

$111 ₩147.7K

-4.63%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,055 ¥7,046

$482 ₩642.7K

119.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$585 ¥3,904

$356 ₩474.5K

64.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,485 ¥16.6K

$1,148 ₩1.5M

116.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,232 ¥8,228

$750 ₩1.0M

64.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.9K ¥93.0K

$7,212 ₩9.6M

93.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,253 ¥41.7K

$5,542 ₩7.4M

12.82%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,711 ¥11.4K

$2,150 ₩2.9M

-20.43%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

-16.00%

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

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Last update for Yeosu: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Shanghai

$585 47%

Yeosu

$356 24.8% 39.2% $229

Groceries & Markets

Shanghai

$235 18.9%

Yeosu

$436 30.5% 85.8% $201

Clothing & Footwear

Shanghai

$122 9.8%

Yeosu

$126 8.8% 3% $3.6

Eating Out

Shanghai

$106 8.5%

Yeosu

$143 10% 35.2% $37

Sport & Entertainment

Shanghai

$84 6.7%

Yeosu

$72 5% 13.8% $12

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Shanghai

$76 6.1%

Yeosu

$246 17.2% 223% $170

Getting Around

Shanghai

$36 2.9%

Yeosu

$53 3.7% 46.7% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,055 in Shanghai and $482 in Yeosu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yeosu pays 26% 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 $37.00 in Yeosu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $235 vs $436 per month, with Shanghai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🇰🇷 Yeosu

🕒 Local time

05:37 5:37 AM

06:37 6:37 AM

1 h ahead of Shanghai

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

24,870,895

288,988

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

South Korean Won KRW ₩

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

KRW, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 6.68 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.51 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,334 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.5 USD). 1 EUR = 1,500 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.67 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

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Between locations

Shanghai Yeosu 700 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

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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 Yeosu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Yeosu differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,244 vs $1,432 including rent). Shanghai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 26% lower in Yeosu. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,055 in Shanghai versus $482 in Yeosu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,414 in Shanghai versus $368 in Yeosu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Yeosu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,244 in Shanghai versus $1,432 in Yeosu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shanghai but tight or insufficient in Yeosu. The gap between the two cities makes Shanghai 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 Yeosu 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 Shanghai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Yeosu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.