Cost of Living Comparison Between Shaoxing and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Shaoxing and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $765 per month in Shaoxing vs $763 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,217 per month in Shaoxing vs $1,225 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,668 per month in Shaoxing vs $1,688 in Chengdu, rent included.

Shaoxing and Chengdu have comparable living costs – the differences are in the details.

Both Shaoxing and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Shaoxing 44% lower, Chengdu 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.70 ¥24.79

$2.90 ¥19.43

27.59%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.25 ¥149

$20.18 ¥135

10.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.05 ¥33.84

$5.18 ¥34.75

-2.51%

Cappuccino

$2.58 ¥17.28

$2.94 ¥19.68

-12.24%

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

$0.56 ¥3.77

$0.48 ¥3.19

16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.42

$0.28 ¥1.88

28.57%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.59

$1.46 ¥9.77

-22.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 ¥16.68

$2.50 ¥16.73

-0.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ¥13.42

$1.76 ¥11.80

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.98 ¥13.28

$1.64 ¥10.98

20.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.74 ¥4.96

$0.94 ¥6.31

-21.28%

Eggs

$1.68 ¥11.24

$1.54 ¥10.29

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.29 ¥75.7

$14.19 ¥95.1

-20.44%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.34 ¥22.36

$3.51 ¥23.51

-4.84%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.53 ¥70.6

$11.04 ¥74.0

-4.62%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ¥11.81

$1.82 ¥12.20

-3.30%

Banana (1kg)

$1.76 ¥11.76

$1.26 ¥8.46

39.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.62 ¥10.85

$1.06 ¥7.10

52.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.13

$1.25 ¥8.38

-15.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.64

$0.69 ¥4.63

21.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.41

$0.72 ¥4.83

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.07

$0.73 ¥4.91

-16.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.70 ¥4.70

$0.59 ¥3.92

18.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.28 ¥21.97

$3.63 ¥24.29

-9.64%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.38 ¥69.5

$5.47 ¥36.63

89.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥5.03

$0.79 ¥5.28

-5.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.82

$1.53 ¥10.26

5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.23 ¥1.54

$0.43 ¥2.90

-46.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$19.87 ¥133

$24.95 ¥167

-20.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.90 ¥12.75

$1.32 ¥8.81

43.94%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.29 ¥1.94

48.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.66 ¥58.0

$4.38 ¥29.33

97.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.57

$1.23 ¥8.21

4.07%

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

$19.5K ¥130.6K

$19.4K ¥129.8K

0.58%

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

$18.5K ¥124.1K

$17.4K ¥116.7K

6.28%

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

$47.67 ¥319

$41.04 ¥275

16.15%

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

$8.73 ¥58.5

$9.46 ¥63.4

-7.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.98 ¥60.2

$12.83 ¥86.0

-30.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$15.57 ¥104

$27.45 ¥184

-43.28%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.87 ¥46.07

$11.02 ¥73.9

-37.66%

Cinema Ticket

$6.87 ¥46.06

$6.02 ¥40.35

14.12%

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

$831 ¥5,567

$410 ¥2,748

102.62%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.8K ¥166.3K

$14.8K ¥99.0K

68.03%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.69 ¥266

$28.78 ¥193

37.91%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.07 ¥208

$29.21 ¥196

6.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥501

$60.8 ¥407

23.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 ¥711

$52.7 ¥353

101.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$423 ¥2,834

$486 ¥3,260

-13.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$227 ¥1,524

$256 ¥1,714

-11.12%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$591 ¥3,958

$849 ¥5,692

-30.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥2,980

$545 ¥3,655

-18.48%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$6,402 ¥42.9K

$3,813 ¥25.6K

67.90%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,627 ¥24.3K

$1,909 ¥12.8K

89.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$897 ¥6,008

$1,284 ¥8,602

-30.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.38

-0.89%

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

Last update for Shaoxing: August 29, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $423 in Shaoxing versus $486 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 43% higher in Chengdu. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Shaoxing versus $20.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $206 vs $196 – making Chengdu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Shaoxing vs Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,148 per month in Shaoxing and $1,145 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Shaoxing and $20.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Public transport costs about 26% less in Chengdu. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $765 in Shaoxing and $763 in Chengdu, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shaoxing makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.