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Fukuoka vs Shanghai cost of living 2026
Which is cheaper, what exactly is cheaper, and how it feels on your money ยท Updated October 2026
๐ฏ๐ต Fukuoka
๐จ๐ณ Shanghai
At a glance
- Where Shanghai is clearly cheaper: Scooter rental (88%โ), Taxi (79%โ), Tuk-tuk / moto taxi (67%โ)
- Where Fukuoka is clearly cheaper: Cocktail & wine (60%โ), Entry ticket (60%โ), Studio rent (month) (44%โ)
By category
Salary equivalence
Travel difficulty
Fukuoka is easier to travel (1.6 vs 2.4). Biggest gap: rip-offs & haggling โ Fukuoka 1 vs Shanghai 2. Closer to 1 is easier. Difficulty ranking โบ
Item by item
| Item | Fukuoka | Shanghai | Cheaper |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local mealper person | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 35$4.93 | Shanghai โ27% |
| Street food1 item | ยฅ 800$5.41 | ยฅ 15$2.11 | Shanghai โ61% |
| Restaurant dinnerper person | ยฅ 3,500$23.6 | ยฅ 110$15.5 | Shanghai โ34% |
| Coffeeone cup | ยฅ 500$3.38 | ยฅ 28$3.94 | Fukuoka โ14% |
| Beerone bottle | ยฅ 580$3.92 | ยฅ 30$4.23 | Fukuoka โ7% |
| Cocktail & wineone cup | ยฅ 700$4.73 | ยฅ 85$12 | Fukuoka โ60% |
| Bottled water | ยฅ 130$0.88 | ยฅ 3$0.42 | Shanghai โ52% |
| Convenience store1 snack or drink | ยฅ 190$1.28 | ยฅ 5$0.7 | Shanghai โ45% |
| Taxi5 km in town | ยฅ 2,000$13.5 | ยฅ 20$2.82 | Shanghai โ79% |
| Tuk-tuk / moto taxishort hop | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 16$2.25 | Shanghai โ67% |
| Transitone ride | ยฅ 210$1.42 | ยฅ 4$0.56 | Shanghai โ60% |
| Scooter rentalper day | ยฅ 2,700$18.2 | ยฅ 15$2.11 | Shanghai โ88% |
| Hotel night3-star | ยฅ 13,000$87.8 | ยฅ 500$70.4 | Shanghai โ20% |
| Studio rent (month) | ยฅ 70,000$473 | ยฅ 6,000$845 | Fukuoka โ44% |
| Laundry | ยฅ 740$5 | ยฅ 14$1.97 | Shanghai โ61% |
| SIM card1 week data | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | ยฅ 100$14.1 | Shanghai โ17% |
| Haircutcut | ยฅ 2,500$16.9 | ยฅ 60$8.45 | Shanghai โ50% |
| Massage1 hour | ยฅ 4,000$27 | ยฅ 200$28.2 | similar |
| Half-day tourper person | ยฅ 8,000$54.1 | ยฅ 250$35.2 | Shanghai โ35% |
| Entry ticketTourist town | ยฅ 1,000$6.76 | ยฅ 120$16.9 | Fukuoka โ60% |
Reference prices start as estimates from published price levels; items with 3+ traveler reports use the median of real reports. Hostels and local eateries cut both by 30%+.
FAQ
Which is cheaper, Fukuoka or Shanghai?
Shanghai is 9% cheaper than Fukuoka. Daily budget $177 vs $118; a month $2,323 vs $2,712.
Which is easier to travel, Fukuoka or Shanghai?
Fukuoka is easier: Fukuoka 1.6/5 vs Shanghai 2.4/5 (average of rip-offs, language, transport, payments and safety).
How do monthly costs compare between Fukuoka and Shanghai?
With a short-term studio and living costs, Fukuoka is about $2,323 and Shanghai about $2,712 per month.
Where do the numbers come from?
They start as estimates informed by published price levels; any item with 3+ traveler reports switches to the median of real reports. Live reports are in the app.