Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Changshu and Hangzhou

For one person, living is cheaper in Changshu: $712 a month against $1,020 in Hangzhou, rent and utilities included – about $3,700 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Changshu
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Changshu Living Index
50

Cost of Living Index in Hangzhou
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Hangzhou Living Index

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Changshu

🇨🇳 China

$712

/mo nomad

Hangzhou

🇨🇳 China

$1,020

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Changshu and in Hangzhou

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Changshu and in Hangzhou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in Changshu versus $1,020 in Hangzhou.

Changshu $712
Hangzhou $1,020

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,128 in Changshu versus $1,566 in Hangzhou.

Changshu $1,128
Hangzhou $1,566

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,544 in Changshu versus $2,112 in Hangzhou.

Changshu $1,544
Hangzhou $2,112

Living in Changshu costs roughly 30% less than in Hangzhou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changshu 47% lower, Hangzhou 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.83 ¥18.91

$3.77 ¥25.22

-24.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$21.95 ¥147

$25.72 ¥172

-14.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥32.85

$4.54 ¥30.33

8.15%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥19.60

$3.35 ¥22.38

-12.54%

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

$0.46 ¥3.08

$0.59 ¥3.97

-22.03%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.33 ¥2.24

-18.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.82

$1.18 ¥7.90

-26.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.66

$2.21 ¥14.75

-7.69%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ¥12.59

$1.86 ¥12.44

1.08%

White Bread (500g)

$1.55 ¥10.38

$1.59 ¥10.60

-2.52%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.89 ¥5.97

$1.12 ¥7.51

-20.54%

Eggs

$1.58 ¥10.58

$2.01 ¥13.42

-21.39%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.80 ¥85.6

$18.92 ¥127

-32.35%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.16 ¥21.10

$3.78 ¥25.25

-16.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.02 ¥67.0

$10.01 ¥66.9

0.10%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.49

$2.28 ¥15.23

-17.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.35

$1.41 ¥9.43

-11.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.37

$1.52 ¥10.16

1.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.70

$1.55 ¥10.39

-25.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.66

$0.89 ¥5.93

-21.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.33

$0.98 ¥6.57

-3.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.72

$0.67 ¥4.45

-16.42%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.39

$0.54 ¥3.61

-5.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.22 ¥21.52

$4.10 ¥27.40

-21.46%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.47 ¥70.0

$13.30 ¥89.0

-21.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.57 ¥10.53

$1.65 ¥11.02

-4.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.79

$0.63 ¥4.21

-57.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.48 ¥110

$17.61 ¥118

-6.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ¥9.51

$1.91 ¥12.76

-25.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.17

$0.38 ¥2.54

-13.16%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.35

$7.28 ¥48.65

-8.93%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.52

$1.31 ¥8.76

-14.50%

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

$19.6K ¥130.7K

$19.3K ¥129.2K

1.21%

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

$17.2K ¥115.1K

$18.3K ¥122.5K

-6.05%

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

$46.01 ¥308

$47.44 ¥317

-3.01%

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

$9.96 ¥66.6

$10.05 ¥67.2

-0.90%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.63 ¥77.8

$14.50 ¥97.0

-19.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.09 ¥275

$51.5 ¥344

-20.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.00 ¥93.6

$19.69 ¥132

-28.90%

Cinema Ticket

$5.81 ¥38.83

$7.32 ¥48.94

-20.63%

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

$329 ¥2,198

$568 ¥3,801

-42.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.9K ¥112.9K

$36.2K ¥242.1K

-53.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$43.18 ¥289

$59.6 ¥398

-27.49%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$30.03 ¥201

$41.39 ¥277

-27.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ¥483

$86.2 ¥576

-16.17%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$71.7 ¥479

$109 ¥728

-34.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$280 ¥1,870

$626 ¥4,182

-55.29%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$192 ¥1,283

$393 ¥2,628

-51.16%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$597 ¥3,995

$1,206 ¥8,061

-50.44%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$357 ¥2,385

$672 ¥4,490

-46.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,988 ¥20.0K

$8,023 ¥53.6K

-62.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,068 ¥13.8K

$3,742 ¥25.0K

-44.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,557 ¥10.4K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.89

3.5

11.14%

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

Last update for Changshu: October 13, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: October 10, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Groceries & Markets

Changshu

$198 27.8%

Hangzhou

$234 22.9% 18.4% $36

Accommodation & Living

Changshu

$192 27%

Hangzhou

$393 38.5% 105% $201

Clothing & Footwear

Changshu

$98 13.7%

Hangzhou

$133 13.1% 36.3% $36

Eating Out

Changshu

$84 11.8%

Hangzhou

$98 9.6% 16.8% $14

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Changshu

$68 9.5%

Hangzhou

$72 7.1% 6.5% $4.4

Sport & Entertainment

Changshu

$53 7.4%

Hangzhou

$66 6.5% 25.5% $13

Getting Around

Changshu

$21 2.9%

Hangzhou

$24 2.4% 16.2% $3.3

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $280 in Changshu and $626 in Hangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $22.00 in Changshu vs $26.00 in Hangzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $198 vs $234 per month, with Changshu cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Changshu

🇨🇳 Hangzhou

🕒 Local time

06:57 6:57 AM

Same time as Changshu

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,677,050

10,360,000

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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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

Changshu vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changshu is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 43% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $1,068 in Changshu and $1,530 in Hangzhou to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $280 in Changshu versus $626 in Hangzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Changshu – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $712 per month in Changshu versus $1,020 in Hangzhou – a 43% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $712 in Changshu versus $1,020 in Hangzhou, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changshu but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Changshu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Changshu and Hangzhou are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Changshu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 43% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.