Cost of Living Comparison Between Beihai and Hangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Beihai and Hangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $704 per month in Beihai vs $908 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,138 per month in Beihai vs $1,462 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,573 per month in Beihai vs $2,017 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Beihai is about 22% cheaper than Hangzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Beihai and Hangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Beihai 47% lower, Hangzhou 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.05

$3.50 ¥23.67

-19.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.25 ¥144

$26.22 ¥177

-18.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.78 ¥32.32

$4.91 ¥33.22

-2.65%

Cappuccino

$2.92 ¥19.78

$3.39 ¥22.96

-13.86%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.48 ¥3.26

-4.17%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.29 ¥1.98

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.87

$1.10 ¥7.43

-20.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.12 ¥14.34

$1.63 ¥11.02

30.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.98 ¥13.41

-10.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.61 ¥10.90

$1.97 ¥13.31

-18.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.06

$0.99 ¥6.72

-9.09%

Eggs

$1.57 ¥10.61

$1.81 ¥12.26

-13.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.81 ¥86.6

$16.80 ¥114

-23.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.20 ¥21.67

$2.58 ¥17.47

24.03%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.36 ¥70.1

$9.63 ¥65.1

7.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ¥11.99

$2.04 ¥13.82

-13.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.47

$1.79 ¥12.12

-30.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.36 ¥9.23

$1.60 ¥10.80

-15.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.32

$1.20 ¥8.11

-10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.50

$0.72 ¥4.85

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.53

$1.00 ¥6.76

-3.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.63 ¥4.25

-4.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.69

$0.53 ¥3.62

3.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.15 ¥21.31

$4.27 ¥28.88

-26.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.43 ¥77.3

$13.56 ¥91.8

-15.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.33

$0.69 ¥4.66

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.70 ¥11.47

-5.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.51 ¥3.43

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.93 ¥115

$15.03 ¥102

12.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.20

$1.77 ¥11.97

-23.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$0.42 ¥2.86

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.43

$6.45 ¥43.62

6.36%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.67

$1.14 ¥7.71

-0.88%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.2K ¥129.7K

$19.5K ¥131.6K

-1.48%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$16.7K ¥113.1K

$16.7K ¥113.3K

-0.21%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$46.09 ¥312

$45.27 ¥306

1.81%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$9.87 ¥66.7

$11.28 ¥76.3

-12.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.52 ¥78.0

$18.42 ¥125

-37.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.94 ¥284

$60.0 ¥406

-30.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$13.82 ¥93.5

$15.86 ¥107

-12.86%

Cinema Ticket

$6.41 ¥43.37

$6.42 ¥43.45

-0.16%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$340 ¥2,297

$456 ¥3,084

-25.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ¥116.5K

$28.5K ¥193.0K

-39.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.73 ¥289

$56.2 ¥380

-23.98%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.04 ¥203

$34.96 ¥236

-14.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.9 ¥487

$72.1 ¥488

-0.28%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥503

$93.3 ¥631

-20.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$275 ¥1,863

$523 ¥3,541

-47.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$186 ¥1,259

$301 ¥2,036

-38.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$593 ¥4,011

$1,118 ¥7,561

-46.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ¥2,417

$685 ¥4,633

-47.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,044 ¥20.6K

$7,767 ¥52.5K

-60.82%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,709 ¥11.6K

$3,765 ¥25.5K

-54.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,947

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.87

3.83

1.04%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Beihai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $275 in Beihai versus $523 in Hangzhou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Beihai versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $199 vs $223 – making Beihai the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Beihai vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hangzhou costs about 29% more than Beihai, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,055 per month in Beihai and $1,362 in Hangzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Beihai, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 12% more in Hangzhou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $21.00 in Beihai and $26.00 in Hangzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Beihai, where all-in costs run around $704, than in Hangzhou at $908. In Beihai it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Beihai – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Beihai. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hangzhou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.