Shanghai vs Tokyo Cost of Living
Shanghai (China) · Overall index 47.2 — Tokyo (Japan) · Overall index 53.8
Summary
- Overall, Tokyo is 14% more expensive than Shanghai.
- Transport in Tokyo is 23% more expensive than in Shanghai.
- Telecom in Tokyo is 19% more expensive than in Shanghai.
| Item | Shanghai | Tokyo | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rent | +4% | ||
| 1-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $1,123 | $1,307 | +16% |
| 1-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $819 | $782 | -5% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, city centre (monthly) | $2,667 | $2,737 | +3% |
| 3-bedroom apartment, outside centre (monthly) | $1,498 | $1,558 | +4% |
| Groceries | +13% | ||
| Milk (1L) | $0.89 | $0.87 | -2% |
| White bread (500g) | $2.39 | $2.62 | +10% |
| Rice (1kg) | $3.36 | $3.43 | +2% |
| Eggs (12) | $3.12 | $3.26 | +4% |
| Local cheese (1kg) | $8.28 | $9.15 | +11% |
| Chicken fillets (1kg) | $8 | $9.77 | +22% |
| Beef round (1kg) | $12.9 | $14.2 | +10% |
| Apples (1kg) | $3.55 | $3.74 | +5% |
| Bananas (1kg) | $1.42 | $1.62 | +14% |
| Oranges (1kg) | $3.11 | $3 | -4% |
| Tomatoes (1kg) | $3.04 | $4.44 | +46% |
| Potatoes (1kg) | $1.83 | $2.3 | +26% |
| Onions (1kg) | $1.6 | $2.06 | +29% |
| Lettuce (1 head) | $1.6 | $1.69 | +6% |
| Water (1.5L bottle) | $1.62 | $1.8 | +11% |
| Bottle of wine (mid-range) | $9.46 | $11.4 | +21% |
| Transport | +23% | ||
| Public transport, one-way ticket | $1.25 | $1.65 | +32% |
| Public transport, monthly pass | $69.5 | $75.4 | +8% |
| Taxi, base fare | $1.95 | $2.32 | +19% |
| Taxi, per km | $0.91 | $1.23 | +35% |
| Gasoline (1L) | $0.52 | $0.58 | +12% |
| New compact car (e.g., VW Golf) | $13,544 | $18,186 | +34% |
| Dining out | +17% | ||
| Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $11.2 | $13.8 | +23% |
| Meal for 2, mid-range restaurant (3 courses) | $71.4 | $70.3 | -2% |
| Fast food combo meal | $6.06 | $7.88 | +30% |
| Cappuccino | $3.29 | $3.87 | +18% |
| Coke/Pepsi (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.53 | $1.65 | +8% |
| Domestic beer (0.5L, restaurant) | $3.76 | $4.95 | +32% |
| Imported beer (0.33L, restaurant) | $4.63 | $5.82 | +26% |
| Water (0.33L, restaurant) | $1.27 | $1.35 | +6% |
| Telecom | +19% | ||
| Mobile plan, calls + 10GB+ data (monthly) | $37.8 | $41.5 | +10% |
| Broadband internet 60Mbps+ (monthly) | $42.3 | $52.1 | +23% |
| Prepaid mobile tariff (1 min) | $0.21 | $0.26 | +24% |
| Video streaming subscription (monthly) | $10.7 | $12.7 | +19% |
| Utilities & household | +16% | ||
| Basic utilities, 85m² apartment (monthly) | $113 | $126 | +12% |
| Electricity (1 kWh) | $0.14 | $0.15 | +7% |
| Tap water (1m³) | $2.88 | $3.07 | +7% |
| Natural gas (1m³) | $0.81 | $1.05 | +30% |
| Waste collection (monthly) | $13.2 | $16.3 | +23% |
| Fitness club (monthly) | $49.5 | $62.2 | +26% |
| Cinema ticket (1 seat) | $8.96 | $9.79 | +9% |
| Men's haircut | $20.7 | $23.3 | +13% |
| Domestic cleaning (1 hour) | $15.8 | $18.8 | +19% |
| Private kindergarten (monthly) | $1,193 | $1,434 | +20% |
2,925 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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