Cost of Living Comparison Between Suzhou and Shanghai Cost of Living Comparison Between Suzhou and Shanghai

😐 Solo nomad: Suzhou is 8.2% more expensive than Shanghai without rent, and 19.4% cheaper with rent.

😐 Family of 3: Suzhou is 10.3% more expensive than Shanghai without rent, and 16% cheaper with rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 ¥29.45

$4.73 ¥33.92

-13.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.31 ¥296

$36.17 ¥259

14.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.61 ¥40.27

$5.6 ¥40.18

0.18%

Cappuccino

$4.04 ¥28.94

$3.56 ¥25.53

13.48%

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

$1.73 ¥12.44

$0.54 ¥3.9

220.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥5.27

$0.36 ¥2.59

105.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.1 ¥29.44

$1.43 ¥10.25

186.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.71 ¥40.99

$2.76 ¥19.81

106.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.34 ¥16.8

$2.18 ¥15.66

7.34%

White Bread (500g)

$2.4 ¥17.25

$1.81 ¥13

32.60%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.16 ¥8.34

$1.1 ¥7.9

5.45%

Eggs

$1.94 ¥13.92

$1.69 ¥12.1

14.79%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.89 ¥150

$15.79 ¥113

32.30%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.73 ¥26.79

$3.17 ¥22.76

17.67%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.92 ¥56.8

$10.88 ¥78.1

-27.21%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ¥14.72

$2.26 ¥16.24

-9.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.56 ¥11.18

$1.67 ¥11.98

-6.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.6 ¥11.48

$1.78 ¥12.78

-10.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.32 ¥9.5

$1.52 ¥10.94

-13.16%

Potato (1kg)

$0.64 ¥4.57

$0.85 ¥6.09

-24.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.13 ¥8.12

$1.17 ¥8.37

-3.42%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.01 ¥7.27

$0.68 ¥4.84

48.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.5 ¥3.59

$0.6 ¥4.29

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.29 ¥30.81

$2.87 ¥20.56

49.48%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.56 ¥90.1

$11.16 ¥80

12.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.89 ¥6.4

$0.8 ¥5.73

11.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.79 ¥20.02

$1.56 ¥11.22

78.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.93

$0.4 ¥2.89

-32.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.38 ¥297

$35.15 ¥252

17.72%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥13.18

$2.29 ¥16.45

-19.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.35

$0.37 ¥2.69

-10.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.33 ¥59.8

$8.14 ¥58.4

2.33%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥8.24

$1.09 ¥7.81

5.50%

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

$21.2K ¥152.1K

$19.5K ¥140.1K

8.51%

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

$23.4K ¥167.9K

$18.2K ¥130.5K

28.63%

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

$116 ¥835

$51.6 ¥370

125.78%

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

$14.75 ¥106

$8.68 ¥62.2

69.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.69 ¥83.8

$13.5 ¥96.8

-13.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.1 ¥474

$46.42 ¥333

42.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.97 ¥136

$20.44 ¥147

-7.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.84 ¥49.05

$8.58 ¥61.5

-20.28%

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

$766 ¥5,497

$1,307 ¥9,378

-41.38%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ¥119.2K

$31.4K ¥225.4K

-47.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.3 ¥382

$58.8 ¥422

-9.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$36.08 ¥259

$36.99 ¥265

-2.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ¥522

$77.7 ¥558

-6.33%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.8 ¥665

$98.5 ¥706

-5.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$406 ¥2,909

$952 ¥6,827

-57.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$208 ¥1,492

$574 ¥4,115

-63.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$983 ¥7,049

$2,518 ¥18.1K

-60.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$509 ¥3,648

$1,201 ¥8,614

-57.64%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,665 ¥40.6K

$14.4K ¥103.2K

-60.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,919 ¥20.9K

$7,106 ¥51K

-58.92%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,180 ¥8,463

$1,534 ¥11K

-23.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.86

3.58

7.82%

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

Last update for Suzhou: October 29, 2025

Last update for Shanghai: October 28, 2025

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