Shanghai vs Hong Kong Cost of Living
Shanghai (China) · Overall index 47.2 — Hong Kong (Hong Kong) · Overall index 75.4
Summary
- Overall, Hong Kong is 60% more expensive than Shanghai.
- Rent in Hong Kong is 124% more expensive than in Shanghai.
- Transport in Hong Kong is 63% more expensive than in Shanghai.
| Item | Shanghai | Hong Kong | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +124% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,123 | $2,572 | +129% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $819 | $1,975 | +141% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,667 | $5,236 | +96% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,498 | $3,501 | +134% |
| Groceries | +39% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.89 | $1.19 | +34% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.39 | $3.67 | +54% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.36 | $4.36 | +30% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.12 | $3.93 | +26% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $8.28 | $11.9 | +44% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8 | $11.5 | +44% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $12.9 | $15 | +16% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.55 | $4.97 | +40% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.42 | $1.74 | +23% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.11 | $3.99 | +28% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.04 | $5.29 | +74% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.83 | $2.49 | +36% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.6 | $2.2 | +38% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.6 | $2.49 | +56% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.62 | $2.3 | +42% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $9.46 | $13.7 | +45% |
| Transport | +63% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.25 | $2.38 | +90% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $69.5 | $104 | +50% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.95 | $2.97 | +52% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.91 | $1.71 | +88% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.52 | $0.76 | +46% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $13,544 | $21,733 | +60% |
| Dining out | +51% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.2 | $20.9 | +87% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $71.4 | $99.9 | +40% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.06 | $10.2 | +68% |
| Cappuccino | $3.29 | $4.36 | +33% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.53 | $2.41 | +58% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.76 | $5.48 | +46% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.63 | $7.05 | +52% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.27 | $1.74 | +37% |
| Telecom | +33% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $37.8 | $48.9 | +29% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $42.3 | $59.2 | +40% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.21 | $0.3 | +43% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.7 | $13 | +21% |
| Utilities & household | +48% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $113 | $136 | +20% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.18 | +29% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.88 | $4.39 | +52% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.81 | $1.39 | +72% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $13.2 | $21.8 | +65% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $49.5 | $78.7 | +59% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.96 | $13.3 | +48% |
| Men's haircut | $20.7 | $30.2 | +46% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $15.8 | $24.4 | +54% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,193 | $1,684 | +41% |
3,166 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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