Cost of Living · AE vs CN
🇦🇪 Dubai vs 🇨🇳 Shanghai: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $1,546 in United Arab Emirates vs $1,011 in China — 34.58% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in China
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -38.54%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -38.54%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -38.54%
Closest to United Arab Emirates prices
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: -12.2%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -12.98%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -12.98%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | United Arab Emirates | China | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,058 | $650 (4,675 CNY) | -38.54% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $846 | $520 (3,740 CNY) | -38.54% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $1,934 | $1,189 (8,548 CNY) | -38.54% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $12.12 | $8.27 (59 CNY) | -31.77% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $50.50 | $34.45 (248 CNY) | -31.78% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $7.68 | $5.42 (39 CNY) | -29.43% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.83 | $0.62 (4 CNY) | -25.3% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.40 | $1.82 (13 CNY) | -24.17% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $2.55 | $1.93 (14 CNY) | -24.31% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $7.50 | $5.68 (41 CNY) | -24.27% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.00 | $2.27 (16 CNY) | -24.33% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $3.60 | $2.73 (20 CNY) | -24.17% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $9.00 | $6.81 (49 CNY) | -24.33% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.50 | $1.14 (8 CNY) | -24% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $4.04 | $2.76 (20 CNY) | -31.68% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $6.93 | $6.03 (43 CNY) | -12.99% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $3.37 | $2.30 (17 CNY) | -31.75% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $1.73 | $1.31 (9 CNY) | -24.28% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $45.37 | $32.05 (230 CNY) | -29.36% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $1.92 | $1.36 (10 CNY) | -29.17% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $2.69 | $1.84 (13 CNY) | -31.6% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.21 | $0.83 (6 CNY) | -31.4% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.82 | $0.72 (5 CNY) | -12.2% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $140 | $98.60 (709 CNY) | -29.37% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $48.86 | $34.51 (248 CNY) | -29.37% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $31.41 | $22.19 (160 CNY) | -29.35% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $33.67 | $22.97 (165 CNY) | -31.78% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $9.43 | $6.43 (46 CNY) | -31.81% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $20.20 | $13.78 (99 CNY) | -31.78% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $47.63 | $41.45 (298 CNY) | -12.98% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $77.94 | $67.82 (488 CNY) | -12.98% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $168 | $115 (826 CNY) | -31.79% |
Estimated from World Bank — Consumption price levels with per-item elasticity — model figures, not quotes. Compare any pair in the interactive tool.
Related
Frequently asked questions
- How much cheaper is China than United Arab Emirates?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,011 in China versus $1,546 in United Arab Emirates — 34.58% less. Rents differ the most; world-priced goods like petrol and electronics the least.
- What does a beer cost in China?
- A domestic draught pint is roughly $2.76 in China (≈ 19.84 CNY), versus about $4.04 in United Arab Emirates.
- How much is rent in China compared to United Arab Emirates?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $650/month in China versus $1,058/month in United Arab Emirates (-38.54%). Housing is the most locally-priced item in the basket.
- How are these prices estimated?
- Curated US baseline prices scaled by each country's purchasing-power price level with per-item elasticities (housing 1.4, services 1.1, groceries 0.8, world-priced goods 0.4) — model estimates for orientation, not quotes.