Bangkok vs Shanghai Cost of Living
Bangkok (Thailand) · Overall index 36.1 — Shanghai (China) · Overall index 47.2
Summary
- Overall, Shanghai is 31% more expensive than Bangkok.
- Rent in Shanghai is 47% more expensive than in Bangkok.
- Dining out in Shanghai is 34% more expensive than in Bangkok.
| Item | Bangkok | Shanghai | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +47% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $785 | $1,123 | +43% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $630 | $819 | +30% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,512 | $2,667 | +76% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,069 | $1,498 | +40% |
| Groceries | +28% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.61 | $0.89 | +46% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.14 | $2.39 | +12% |
| Rice (1kg) | $2.56 | $3.36 | +31% |
| Eggs (12) | $2.53 | $3.12 | +23% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $6.93 | $8.28 | +19% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $6.15 | $8 | +30% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $10.3 | $12.9 | +25% |
| Apples (1kg) | $2.84 | $3.55 | +25% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $0.93 | $1.42 | +53% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $2.4 | $3.11 | +30% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $2.38 | $3.04 | +28% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.38 | $1.83 | +33% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.39 | $1.6 | +15% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.2 | $1.6 | +33% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.22 | $1.62 | +33% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $7.66 | $9.46 | +23% |
| Transport | +31% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.01 | $1.25 | +24% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $44.6 | $69.5 | +56% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.59 | $1.95 | +23% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.81 | $0.91 | +12% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.37 | $0.52 | +41% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $10,133 | $13,544 | +34% |
| Dining out | +34% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $8.84 | $11.2 | +27% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $47.5 | $71.4 | +50% |
| Fast food combo meal | $5.21 | $6.06 | +16% |
| Cappuccino | $2.15 | $3.29 | +53% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.11 | $1.53 | +38% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.3 | $3.76 | +14% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $3.74 | $4.63 | +24% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $0.78 | $1.27 | +63% |
| Telecom | +17% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $33.4 | $37.8 | +13% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $37.1 | $42.3 | +14% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.19 | $0.21 | +11% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $8.29 | $10.7 | +29% |
| Utilities & household | +28% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $81.5 | $113 | +39% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.09 | $0.14 | +56% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.32 | $2.88 | +24% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.67 | $0.81 | +21% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $10.8 | $13.2 | +22% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $37.2 | $49.5 | +33% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $7.95 | $8.96 | +13% |
| Men's haircut | $15.5 | $20.7 | +34% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $12.7 | $15.8 | +24% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $991 | $1,193 | +20% |
3,124 total data points · Price data as of 2026-07-01 · Exchange rates as of 2026-07-15
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Estimates for reference only — not official statistics.
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