Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Yulin Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Yulin

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,236 in Shanghai versus $724 in Yulin.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,976 in Shanghai versus $1,139 in Yulin.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,717 in Shanghai versus $1,554 in Yulin.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 71% more expensive than in Yulin, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Yulin 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.56 ¥30.52

$2.28 ¥15.25

100.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.50 ¥198

$16.12 ¥108

83.00%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.98

$4.89 ¥32.78

9.82%

Cappuccino

$3.21 ¥21.49

$2.10 ¥14.08

52.86%

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

$0.61 ¥4.06

$0.44 ¥2.92

38.64%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.26 ¥1.74

46.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.21 ¥8.13

$1.59 ¥10.67

-23.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.71 ¥18.15

$2.19 ¥14.67

23.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.81 ¥12.14

8.29%

White Bread (500g)

$1.85 ¥12.37

$1.73 ¥11.58

6.94%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.04 ¥6.96

$1.11 ¥7.40

-6.31%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.49

$1.49 ¥10.01

5.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.49 ¥117

$13.52 ¥90.6

29.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.32 ¥22.23

$3.11 ¥20.82

6.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$12.39 ¥83.0

9.60%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.21

$1.63 ¥10.93

30.06%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.25 ¥8.40

41.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.99 ¥13.33

$1.50 ¥10.04

32.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$1.23 ¥8.27

43.90%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.44

$0.79 ¥5.31

2.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.78

$0.86 ¥5.76

17.44%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.70 ¥4.68

$0.65 ¥4.38

7.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.66 ¥4.44

$0.59 ¥3.92

11.86%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.80 ¥25.46

$3.34 ¥22.36

13.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.30 ¥69.0

$13.06 ¥87.5

-21.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.27

$0.89 ¥5.93

5.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 ¥10.58

$1.74 ¥11.63

-9.20%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 ¥3.92

$0.34 ¥2.27

73.53%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.87 ¥200

$15.47 ¥104

93.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.83

$1.44 ¥9.62

53.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ¥3.15

$0.33 ¥2.22

42.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.95 ¥60.0

$7.63 ¥51.1

17.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.54

$1.21 ¥8.09

5.79%

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

$19.6K ¥131.0K

$19.2K ¥128.7K

1.84%

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

$19.0K ¥127.1K

$16.2K ¥108.3K

17.36%

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

$59.3 ¥397

$55.3 ¥371

7.23%

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

$8.62 ¥57.7

$8.67 ¥58.0

-0.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.90 ¥66.3

$11.32 ¥75.8

-12.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$65.6 ¥439

$45.55 ¥305

43.95%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.45 ¥110

$14.93 ¥100

10.18%

Cinema Ticket

$9.09 ¥60.9

$6.39 ¥42.81

42.25%

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

$1,439 ¥9,639

$418 ¥2,799

244.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.8K ¥172.6K

$17.0K ¥113.9K

51.56%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.1 ¥355

$43.11 ¥289

23.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.80 ¥253

$33.42 ¥224

13.11%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.3 ¥497

$75.7 ¥507

-1.89%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$107 ¥720

$74.9 ¥502

43.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,007 ¥6,743

$297 ¥1,986

239.52%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$565 ¥3,781

$181 ¥1,214

211.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,406 ¥16.1K

$684 ¥4,584

251.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,212 ¥8,121

$317 ¥2,123

282.42%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$13.8K ¥92.5K

$3,167 ¥21.2K

336.12%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,147 ¥41.2K

$1,917 ¥12.8K

220.61%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,734 ¥11.6K

$600 ¥4,016

189.13%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

3.37

-0.30%

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

Last update for Shanghai: September 5, 2026

Last update for Yulin: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,007 in Shanghai and $297 in Yulin. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Shanghai pays 189% 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 $16.00 in Yulin for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $240 vs $215 per month, with Yulin 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 Yulin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Yulin differ by about 71% in total monthly costs ($1,236 vs $724 including rent). Yulin is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 189% 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: $1,007 in Shanghai versus $297 in Yulin. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,439 in Shanghai versus $418 in Yulin. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 12% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $724 in Yulin versus $1,236 in Shanghai, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Yulin but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Yulin 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 Yulin gentler on the wallet – expenses run 71% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.