Cost of Living & Salary Comparison 2026
Overall, Bucharest is approximately 51% cheaper than Shanghai based on our cost of living index. Bucharest has a COLI of 22.5 (ranked #105 of 113 cities), while Shanghai has a COLI of 46.2 (ranked #60).
When it comes to housing, one-bedroom apartment rent in Bucharest averages $500/month compared to $1,100/month in Shanghai. That makes Bucharest approximately 55% cheaper for rent alone.
Shanghai has lower total deductions (35.2%) compared to Bucharest (45.0%), meaning you keep more of your gross salary in Shanghai. When evaluating a relocation, remember that total deductions directly impact your take-home pay and should be weighed alongside cost of living differences.
Full breakdown of mandatory payroll deductions for a mid-range salary as a local employee in each city.
Rates shown for local employees. Expat deductions may differ — use the main converter for personalized calculations.
If you earn lei 317,395 in Bucharest, you would need approximately ¥1,036,717 in Shanghai to maintain the same purchasing power. That is 51% more due to higher cost of living.
COLI-scaled lifestyle equivalents of New York mid-range salaries — not local market pay. For verified/OECD local-market figures see salary pages.
| Job Title | Bucharest (RON) | Shanghai (CNY) |
|---|---|---|
| Doctor (General) | lei 171,393 | ¥559,827 |
| Software Engineer | lei 80,936 | ¥264,363 |
| Product Manager | lei 95,218 | ¥311,015 |
| Lawyer | lei 95,218 | ¥311,015 |
| Data Scientist | lei 90,457 | ¥295,464 |
| Marketing Manager | lei 68,557 | ¥223,931 |
| Teacher | lei 45,705 | ¥149,287 |
| Nurse | lei 55,227 | ¥180,389 |
These are COLI lifestyle equivalents of the New York mid baseline, not typical local market pay. See methodology and profession×city salary pages for market figures with source badges.
| Neighborhood | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Dorobanți | 1.28x (+28%) |
| Primăverii | 1.25x (+25%) |
| Herăstrău | 1.22x (+22%) |
| Floreasca | 1.18x (+18%) |
| Aviatorilor | 1.15x (+15%) |
| Neighborhood | Multiplier |
|---|---|
| Jing'an | 1.30x (+30%) |
| Xuhui (French Concession) | 1.28x (+28%) |
| Lujiazui (Pudong) | 1.25x (+25%) |
| Xintiandi | 1.25x (+25%) |
| Huangpu (The Bund) | 1.22x (+22%) |
Use our converter with 2,400+ neighborhood adjustments for a precise salary comparison
Open Salary ConverterShanghai is more expensive overall. Bucharest has a COLI of 22.5 while Shanghai has a COLI of 46.2, making Bucharest approximately 51% cheaper.
To maintain the same standard of living as lei 317,395 in Bucharest, you would need approximately ¥1,036,717 in Shanghai.
Average one-bedroom rent in Bucharest is $500/month compared to $1,100/month in Shanghai. Bucharest has lower rent by approximately 55%.
Shanghai has lower total deductions (35.2%) compared to Bucharest (45.0%), meaning you keep more of your gross salary in Shanghai.
Cost of living indices (COLI) are benchmarked to New York City = 100 and derived from Numbeo and Expatistan crowd-sourced price surveys, cross-referenced with national statistics agencies. Rent data from Numbeo Property Prices.
Salary ranges are compiled from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OES), Glassdoor, and PayScale. Tax rates are approximate effective rates for mid-range earners based on OECD Taxing Wages and national tax authorities. Exchange rates from the European Central Bank. Neighborhood multipliers are estimated from local rental indices and property data.
Last updated: 2026-08-31. Data is refreshed periodically. All figures are estimates for informational purposes only.