Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Yeosu and Shanghai

For one person, living is cheaper in Shanghai: $1,244 a month against $1,432 in Yeosu, rent and utilities included – about $2,300 less a year. The total is higher in Yeosu despite lower rent and utilities.

70

Cost of Living Index in Yeosu
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Yeosu Living Index
61

Cost of Living Index in Shanghai
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Shanghai Living Index

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Yeosu

🇰🇷 South Korea

$1,432

/mo nomad

Shanghai

🇨🇳 China

$1,244

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Yeosu and in Shanghai

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Yeosu and in Shanghai actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,432 in Yeosu versus $1,244 in Shanghai.

Yeosu $1,432
Shanghai $1,244

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,251 in Yeosu versus $1,999 in Shanghai.

Yeosu $2,251
Shanghai $1,999

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,070 in Yeosu versus $2,755 in Shanghai.

Yeosu $3,070
Shanghai $2,755

Living in Yeosu is roughly 15% more expensive than in Shanghai, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

The two cities straddle the global median: Yeosu is 6% above, Shanghai is 8% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.70 ₩7,577

$4.56 ¥30.47

25.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.34 ₩49.7K

$30.21 ¥202

23.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.80 ₩7,711

$5.25 ¥35.13

10.48%

Cappuccino

$3.73 ₩4,960

$3.28 ¥21.94

13.72%

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

$1.30 ₩1,734

$0.57 ¥3.84

128.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ₩979

$0.36 ¥2.39

105.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.81 ₩5,071

$1.23 ¥8.23

209.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.20 ₩5,583

$2.27 ¥15.18

85.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ₩2,724

$1.84 ¥12.30

11.41%

White Bread (500g)

$2.99 ₩3,978

$1.96 ¥13.08

52.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.05 ₩4,052

$1.03 ¥6.87

196.12%

Eggs

$2.71 ₩3,606

$1.67 ¥11.16

62.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.11 ₩14.8K

$16.96 ¥113

-34.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.52 ₩14.0K

$3.19 ¥21.33

229.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$24.57 ₩32.7K

$12.90 ¥86.3

90.47%

Apples (1kg)

$7.34 ₩9,759

$2.24 ¥15.00

227.68%

Banana (1kg)

$3.61 ₩4,801

$1.66 ¥11.13

117.47%

Oranges (1kg)

$7.57 ₩10.1K

$2.02 ¥13.54

274.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.85 ₩7,778

$1.66 ¥11.08

252.41%

Potato (1kg)

$3.83 ₩5,095

$0.77 ¥5.17

397.40%

Onion (1kg)

$3.28 ₩4,364

$0.93 ¥6.21

252.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.20 ₩2,920

$0.63 ¥4.19

249.21%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.11 ₩1,470

$0.60 ¥3.99

85.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.39 ₩4,505

$3.80 ¥25.44

-10.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.77 ₩19.6K

$10.87 ¥72.7

35.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.22 ₩2,955

$0.82 ¥5.51

170.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.27 ₩3,018

$1.61 ¥10.76

40.99%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.11 ₩1,472

$0.61 ¥4.11

81.97%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.79 ₩55.6K

$29.40 ¥197

42.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.85 ₩3,790

$2.11 ¥14.11

35.07%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.78 ₩1,039

$0.43 ¥2.87

81.40%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.88 ₩13.1K

$9.06 ¥60.6

9.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ₩1,531

$1.33 ¥8.89

-13.53%

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

$28.8K ₩38.3M

$19.0K ¥127.2K

51.44%

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

$27.4K ₩36.4M

$18.7K ¥125.1K

46.40%

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

$187 ₩248.1K

$57.8 ¥387

222.76%

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

$37.11 ₩49.3K

$8.09 ¥54.1

358.71%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.56 ₩30.0K

$10.48 ¥70.0

115.27%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.3 ₩68.1K

$65.7 ¥439

-21.98%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$12.15 ₩16.2K

$17.82 ¥119

-31.82%

Cinema Ticket

$10.42 ₩13.8K

$8.95 ¥59.9

16.42%

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

$368 ₩489.6K

$1,414 ¥9,451

-73.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.0K ₩25.2M

$27.9K ¥186.2K

-31.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.3 ₩74.9K

$54.0 ¥361

4.32%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.74 ₩50.2K

$37.09 ¥248

1.75%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.2 ₩98.7K

$74.3 ¥496

-0.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ₩147.2K

$106 ¥706

4.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$482 ₩640.4K

$1,055 ¥7,056

-54.35%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$356 ₩472.9K

$585 ¥3,910

-39.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 ₩1.5M

$2,485 ¥16.6K

-53.81%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$750 ₩996.5K

$1,232 ¥8,240

-39.18%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,212 ₩9.6M

$13.9K ¥93.1K

-48.22%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$5,542 ₩7.4M

$6,253 ¥41.8K

-11.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,150 ₩2.9M

$1,711 ¥11.4K

25.67%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.36

19.05%

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

Last update for Yeosu: October 11, 2026

Last update for Shanghai: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Yeosu

$436 30.5%

Shanghai

$235 18.9% 46.2% $201

Accommodation & Living

Yeosu

$356 24.8%

Shanghai

$585 47% 64.4% $229

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Yeosu

$246 17.2%

Shanghai

$76 6.1% 69% $170

Eating Out

Yeosu

$143 10%

Shanghai

$106 8.5% 26% $37

Clothing & Footwear

Yeosu

$126 8.8%

Shanghai

$122 9.8% 2.9% $3.6

Sport & Entertainment

Yeosu

$72 5%

Shanghai

$84 6.7% 16% $12

Getting Around

Yeosu

$53 3.7%

Shanghai

$36 2.9% 31.8% $17

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $482 in Yeosu and $1,055 in Shanghai. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Yeosu pays 26% 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: $37.00 in Yeosu vs $30.00 in Shanghai for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $436 vs $235 per month, with Shanghai cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇰🇷 Yeosu

🇨🇳 Shanghai

🕒 Local time

04:46 4:46 AM

03:46 3:46 AM

1 h behind Yeosu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

288,988

24,870,895

💱 Currency

South Korean Won KRW ₩

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD

10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to KRW – South Korean Won Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇰🇷 South Korean Won (₩)

South Korean Won exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 1,330 KRW (10,000 KRW = 7.52 USD). 1 EUR = 1,495 KRW (10,000 KRW = 6.69 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 17, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

USD to KRW in detail →

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Yeosu Shanghai 700 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Yeosu
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Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Yeosu vs Shanghai: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yeosu and Shanghai differ by about 15% in total monthly costs ($1,432 vs $1,244 including rent). Shanghai is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 26% higher in Yeosu, 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: $482 in Yeosu versus $1,055 in Shanghai. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $368 in Yeosu versus $1,414 in Shanghai. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 86% higher in Yeosu. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $1,244 in Shanghai versus $1,432 in Yeosu, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Shanghai but tight or insufficient in Yeosu. The gap between the two cities makes Shanghai 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, Yeosu and Shanghai 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 Shanghai gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Yeosu. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.