Cost of Living · GB vs CN
🇬🇧 London vs 🇨🇳 Shanghai: what everyday life costs
Monthly essentials: $2,037 in United Kingdom vs $1,011 in China — 50.35% cheaper.
Biggest differences
Much cheaper in China
- 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center: -55.07%
- 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center: -55.07%
- 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center: -55.07%
Closest to United Kingdom prices
- ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L: -20%
- 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand): -20.43%
- 👟 Running shoes (brand): -20.44%
The full basket (32 items)
| Item | United Kingdom | China | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Housing | |||
| 🏙️ Rent: 1-bedroom, city center | $1,447 | $650 (4,675 CNY) | -55.07% |
| 🏡 Rent: 1-bedroom, outside center | $1,158 | $520 (3,740 CNY) | -55.07% |
| 🏢 Rent: 3-bedroom, city center | $2,646 | $1,189 (8,548 CNY) | -55.07% |
| Food out | |||
| 🍜 Meal, inexpensive restaurant | $15.50 | $8.27 (59 CNY) | -46.65% |
| 🍽️ Dinner for two, mid-range | $64.59 | $34.45 (248 CNY) | -46.66% |
| 🍔 Fast-food combo meal | $9.60 | $5.42 (39 CNY) | -43.54% |
| Groceries | |||
| 🥛 Milk, 1L | $0.99 | $0.62 (4 CNY) | -37.37% |
| 🍞 Bread, fresh loaf 500g | $2.87 | $1.82 (13 CNY) | -36.59% |
| 🥚 Eggs, dozen | $3.05 | $1.93 (14 CNY) | -36.72% |
| 🍗 Chicken breast, 1kg | $8.97 | $5.68 (41 CNY) | -36.68% |
| 🍚 White rice, 1kg | $3.59 | $2.27 (16 CNY) | -36.77% |
| 🍎 Apples, 1kg | $4.31 | $2.73 (20 CNY) | -36.66% |
| 🧀 Local cheese, 1kg | $10.76 | $6.81 (49 CNY) | -36.71% |
| 💧 Water, 1.5L bottle | $1.79 | $1.14 (8 CNY) | -36.31% |
| Drinks | |||
| 🍺 Domestic beer, pint (draught) | $5.17 | $2.76 (20 CNY) | -46.62% |
| 🍻 Imported beer, 330ml bottle | $7.58 | $6.03 (43 CNY) | -20.45% |
| ☕ Cappuccino | $4.31 | $2.30 (17 CNY) | -46.64% |
| 🥤 Coke/Pepsi, 330ml | $2.06 | $1.31 (9 CNY) | -36.41% |
| Transport | |||
| 🚇 Public transport, monthly pass | $56.75 | $32.05 (230 CNY) | -43.52% |
| 🎫 Public transport, one-way | $2.40 | $1.36 (10 CNY) | -43.33% |
| 🚕 Taxi start (normal tariff) | $3.44 | $1.84 (13 CNY) | -46.51% |
| 🛣️ Taxi, per km | $1.55 | $0.83 (6 CNY) | -46.45% |
| ⛽ Petrol/gasoline, 1L | $0.90 | $0.72 (5 CNY) | -20% |
| Utilities & comms | |||
| 💡 Basic utilities, 85m² apartment | $175 | $98.60 (709 CNY) | -43.53% |
| 🌐 Internet, 60Mbps+ unlimited | $61.11 | $34.51 (248 CNY) | -43.53% |
| 📱 Mobile plan, 10GB+ data | $39.28 | $22.19 (160 CNY) | -43.51% |
| Lifestyle | |||
| 🏋️ Gym membership, month | $43.06 | $22.97 (165 CNY) | -46.66% |
| 🎬 Cinema seat | $12.06 | $6.43 (46 CNY) | -46.68% |
| 💈 Men's haircut | $25.84 | $13.78 (99 CNY) | -46.67% |
| 👖 Jeans (mid-range brand) | $52.09 | $41.45 (298 CNY) | -20.43% |
| 👟 Running shoes (brand) | $85.24 | $67.82 (488 CNY) | -20.44% |
| 💻 Coworking hot desk, month | $215 | $115 (826 CNY) | -46.67% |
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 Kingdom?
- A single person's monthly essentials run about $1,011 in China versus $2,037 in United Kingdom — 50.35% 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 $5.17 in United Kingdom.
- How much is rent in China compared to United Kingdom?
- A 1-bedroom city-center apartment is estimated at $650/month in China versus $1,447/month in United Kingdom (-55.07%). 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.