Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Zhangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Zhangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,194 in Shanghai versus $713 in Zhangzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,972 in Shanghai versus $1,143 in Zhangzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,750 in Shanghai versus $1,573 in Zhangzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 67% more expensive than Zhangzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 11% lower, Zhangzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.97 ¥33.95

$2.85 ¥19.49

74.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥247

$21.93 ¥150

64.93%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.42 ¥37.04

$4.99 ¥34.10

8.62%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.31

$3.08 ¥21.02

15.58%

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

$0.53 ¥3.64

$0.47 ¥3.21

12.77%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.28

$0.29 ¥1.99

13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.35 ¥9.23

$0.87 ¥5.94

55.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.76 ¥18.87

$2.15 ¥14.67

28.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 ¥14.54

$1.81 ¥12.38

17.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ¥12.58

$1.59 ¥10.87

15.72%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.19

$0.95 ¥6.47

10.53%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.45

$1.59 ¥10.85

5.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.58 ¥106

$12.72 ¥86.9

22.48%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.24 ¥22.13

$3.23 ¥22.06

0.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 ¥74.0

$10.41 ¥71.1

4.03%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥16.22

$1.86 ¥12.68

27.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.69 ¥11.57

$1.27 ¥8.64

33.07%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.48 ¥10.12

21.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.48 ¥10.09

$1.14 ¥7.78

29.82%

Potato (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.83

$0.69 ¥4.72

23.19%

Onion (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.99

$0.97 ¥6.65

20.62%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.25

$0.55 ¥3.78

12.73%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.15

$0.55 ¥3.76

10.91%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.81 ¥19.17

$3.10 ¥21.17

-9.35%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$10.77 ¥73.5

10.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.38

$0.74 ¥5.04

6.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.72

$1.58 ¥10.81

-0.63%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.29 ¥2.00

51.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.93 ¥239

$16.96 ¥116

105.96%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.24 ¥15.33

$1.35 ¥9.22

65.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.59

$0.33 ¥2.22

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.23 ¥56.2

$6.71 ¥45.86

22.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.17 ¥7.96

-1.71%

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

$19.9K ¥135.8K

$19.4K ¥132.2K

2.73%

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

$17.8K ¥121.8K

$17.3K ¥117.8K

3.34%

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

$52.2 ¥357

$45.62 ¥312

14.42%

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

$8.70 ¥59.4

$9.69 ¥66.2

-10.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.58 ¥92.7

$11.87 ¥81.1

14.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$46.31 ¥316

$41.38 ¥283

11.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.45 ¥140

$13.90 ¥94.9

47.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.26 ¥56.5

$5.76 ¥39.36

43.40%

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

$1,266 ¥8,649

$337 ¥2,300

276.06%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.9K ¥218.2K

$17.0K ¥116.2K

87.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.8 ¥408

$43.28 ¥296

38.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.23 ¥261

$29.84 ¥204

28.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.2 ¥527

$72.1 ¥492

7.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$96.2 ¥657

$71.9 ¥491

33.76%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$948 ¥6,478

$275 ¥1,881

244.48%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$572 ¥3,908

$194 ¥1,328

194.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,473 ¥16.9K

$598 ¥4,087

313.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,239

$353 ¥2,414

241.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.1K ¥96.2K

$3,044 ¥20.8K

362.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$7,213 ¥49.3K

$2,003 ¥13.7K

260.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,682 ¥11.5K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.89

-7.97%

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

Last update for Shanghai: April 12, 2026

Last update for Zhangzhou: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $948 in Shanghai and $275 in Zhangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36 in Shanghai vs $22 in Zhangzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $228 vs $199 per month, with Zhangzhou 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 Zhangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Shanghai and Zhangzhou differ by about 67% in total monthly costs ($1,194 vs $713 including rent). Zhangzhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,790 in Shanghai and $1,069 in Zhangzhou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $948 in Shanghai versus $275 in Zhangzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,266 in Shanghai versus $337 in Zhangzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $713 in Zhangzhou versus $1,194 in Shanghai, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Zhangzhou but tight or insufficient in Shanghai. The gap between the two cities makes Zhangzhou 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 Zhangzhou 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 Zhangzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 67% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.