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: $1,209 in Shanghai versus $719 in Zhangzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,979 in Shanghai versus $1,142 in Zhangzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,749 in Shanghai versus $1,565 in Zhangzhou.

Living in Shanghai is roughly 68% more expensive than Zhangzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Shanghai 10% lower, Zhangzhou 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.17

$2.78 ¥18.78

76.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$21.22 ¥144

71.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.83

$4.74 ¥32.05

17.93%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.03

$3.08 ¥20.87

15.26%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.47 ¥3.16

21.28%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.27 ¥1.82

33.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.66

$0.93 ¥6.28

53.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.25

$2.03 ¥13.76

40.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.60

$1.88 ¥12.70

14.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.60 ¥10.83

11.25%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.97 ¥6.54

13.40%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.44

$1.54 ¥10.44

9.74%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$12.86 ¥87.0

18.97%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.12

$3.28 ¥22.21

-4.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.8

$10.24 ¥69.3

5.08%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.29

$1.79 ¥12.11

26.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$1.25 ¥8.48

33.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.49 ¥10.07

20.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.35

$1.13 ¥7.65

35.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.73 ¥4.96

10.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.52

$0.89 ¥6.05

24.72%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.61 ¥4.12

11.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.51 ¥3.45

9.80%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.19

$3.16 ¥21.38

-10.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.5

$10.40 ¥70.3

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.73 ¥4.95

8.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.67 ¥11.27

-1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.27 ¥1.81

59.26%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$16.56 ¥112

107.79%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.92

$1.42 ¥9.62

55.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.55

$0.33 ¥2.20

15.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.51 ¥44.02

28.73%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.13 ¥7.66

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥132.2K

$19.8K ¥133.7K

-1.15%

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

$18.1K ¥122.8K

$16.9K ¥114.6K

7.17%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$45.97 ¥311

14.88%

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

$8.53 ¥57.7

$9.89 ¥66.9

-13.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.6

$11.86 ¥80.3

16.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$41.48 ¥281

13.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$14.20 ¥96.0

39.51%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.2

$5.89 ¥39.88

43.63%

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

$1,303 ¥8,813

$331 ¥2,240

293.33%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.6K

$16.7K ¥113.1K

88.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$43.41 ¥294

37.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$30.47 ¥206

25.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$71.3 ¥482

10.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥671

$72.7 ¥492

36.50%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,309

$275 ¥1,860

239.17%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,856

$193 ¥1,304

195.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.8K

$591 ¥3,998

321.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,066

$360 ¥2,436

231.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.6K

$3,009 ¥20.4K

364.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$2,044 ¥13.8K

229.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

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: June 2, 2026

Last update for Zhangzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $933 in Shanghai and $275 in Zhangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $36.00 in Shanghai vs $21.00 in Zhangzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $225 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 68% in total monthly costs ($1,209 vs $719 including rent). Zhangzhou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

You'd need roughly $1,814 in Shanghai and $1,079 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: $933 in Shanghai versus $275 in Zhangzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $1,303 in Shanghai versus $331 in Zhangzhou. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Shanghai. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $719 in Zhangzhou versus $1,209 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 68% less than in Shanghai. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.