🇨🇳 East & South Asia
Shanghai, China
East & South Asia ✓ Live Numbeo data
China's financial capital; modern and cheaper than Hong Kong; banking/VPN friction for foreigners.
Climate
Rainfall, humidity, and the best months to visit: see the full Shanghai climate profile →
Internet speeds
Measured medians from 78,334 real speedtests within 10 km of the city center (Q1 2026) — not advertised ISP numbers.
| Download | Upload | Latency | Tests | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fixed broadband | 444 Mbps | 115 Mbps | 8 ms | 71,968 |
| Mobile | 220 Mbps | 37.5 Mbps | 37 ms | 6,366 |
Speedtest® by Ookla Global Fixed and Mobile Network Performance Maps, © Ookla. Accessed 2026-07-18. Your building's wiring and ISP plan matter more than the city median. Compare all cities in the Internet Speed Explorer →
Cost of living breakdown
USD converted from local prices at baseline rates (1 USD = 6.756 CNY, 2026-06-16). Use the Cost of Living Explorer for live exchange rates.
| 💰 Monthly budgets | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Individual (excl. rent) | — | — |
| Individual all-in (excl. rent + 1BR center) | — | — |
| Family of 4 (excl. rent) | — | — |
| Average net salary (after tax) | $1,695 | CNY 11,449 |
| 🏢 Rent & property | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| 1BR city center | $942 | CNY 6,363 |
| 1BR outside center | $584 | CNY 3,946 |
| 3BR city center | $2,428 | CNY 16,404 |
| 3BR outside center | $1,228 | CNY 8,295 |
| Buy price / sqft — center | $1,319 | CNY 8,914 |
| Buy price / sqft — outside | $626 | CNY 4,230 |
| 🍽️ Food & dining | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Cheap meal (1 person) | $4.44 | CNY 30.00 |
| Mid-range dinner (2 people) | $29.60 | CNY 200 |
| Fast food combo | $5.18 | CNY 35.00 |
| Beef (per lb) | $5.85 | CNY 39.53 |
| Taxi (per mile) | $0.71 | CNY 4.83 |
| ⚡ Utilities & lifestyle | USD | Local |
|---|---|---|
| Basic utilities / mo | $63 | CNY 428 |
| Phone plan / mo | $9 | CNY 60.68 |
| Internet / mo | $11 | CNY 76.62 |
| Gym membership / mo | $75 | CNY 504 |
| Cinema ticket | $8.88 | CNY 60.00 |
| Preschool / mo | $1,379 | CNY 9,317 |
| International school / yr | $27,474 | CNY 185,625 |
| New car (Corolla equiv.) | $17,242 | CNY 116,492 |
Visa, taxes & legal in China
Country-level research that applies to living in Shanghai — each row links to the full comparison dashboard.
| Family-law exposure (payer) | Obligation 5/10 · cross-border collection 3/10 — legal detail → |
Location
Compare with nearby cities
Data last updated · Source: Numbeo