Cost of Living Comparison Between Changzhou and Hangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Changzhou and Hangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $733 in Changzhou versus $1,015 in Hangzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,214 in Changzhou versus $1,553 in Hangzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,695 in Changzhou versus $2,091 in Hangzhou.

Living in Changzhou costs roughly 28% less than in Hangzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changzhou 47% lower, Hangzhou 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.01 ¥20.18

$3.80 ¥25.52

-20.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.60 ¥192

$25.84 ¥173

10.68%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.56 ¥30.62

$5.12 ¥34.33

-10.94%

Cappuccino

$2.11 ¥14.19

$3.43 ¥23.01

-38.48%

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

$0.38 ¥2.57

$0.60 ¥4.01

-36.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.23 ¥1.54

$0.31 ¥2.05

-25.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.57 ¥3.84

$1.45 ¥9.74

-60.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.45 ¥9.75

$2.20 ¥14.74

-34.09%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.93 ¥12.94

$1.96 ¥13.13

-1.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.28 ¥8.57

$1.66 ¥11.15

-22.89%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.43

$1.13 ¥7.58

-15.04%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥10.91

$2.16 ¥14.50

-24.54%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 ¥50.5

$18.97 ¥127

-60.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.88 ¥19.36

$3.68 ¥24.68

-21.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.37 ¥83.0

$10.28 ¥69.0

20.33%

Apples (1kg)

$2.11 ¥14.16

$2.23 ¥14.94

-5.38%

Banana (1kg)

$1.73 ¥11.59

$1.34 ¥8.99

29.10%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.05 ¥13.74

$1.61 ¥10.78

27.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.30

$1.49 ¥10.02

-26.85%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.83

$0.93 ¥6.27

-6.45%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.23

$0.99 ¥6.63

-6.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.42 ¥2.79

$0.62 ¥4.16

-32.26%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.68 ¥4.59

$0.59 ¥3.94

15.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.26 ¥21.84

$3.99 ¥26.80

-18.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.49 ¥70.4

$13.31 ¥89.3

-21.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.80 ¥5.35

16.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.59 ¥10.67

$1.67 ¥11.18

-4.79%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.35 ¥2.32

$0.58 ¥3.86

-39.66%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.09 ¥94.5

$17.63 ¥118

-20.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.47 ¥9.83

$1.89 ¥12.68

-22.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.39 ¥2.59

-20.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.86 ¥19.17

$6.79 ¥45.54

-57.88%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 ¥8.47

$1.31 ¥8.78

-3.82%

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

$17.3K ¥115.9K

$19.5K ¥131.0K

-11.56%

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

$13.9K ¥93.5K

$18.2K ¥122.0K

-23.37%

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

$63.2 ¥424

$50.1 ¥336

25.99%

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

$8.63 ¥57.9

$10.55 ¥70.8

-18.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.42 ¥69.9

$14.89 ¥99.9

-30.02%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.42 ¥271

$51.6 ¥346

-21.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.00 ¥101

$19.87 ¥133

-24.51%

Cinema Ticket

$4.55 ¥30.55

$7.45 ¥50.0

-38.93%

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

$252 ¥1,691

$566 ¥3,796

-55.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.9K ¥99.7K

$35.6K ¥239.2K

-58.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$48.92 ¥328

$58.4 ¥392

-16.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.76 ¥186

$41.59 ¥279

-33.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.1 ¥491

$84.6 ¥568

-13.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.1 ¥504

$108 ¥724

-30.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$284 ¥1,906

$622 ¥4,171

-54.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 ¥1,555

$393 ¥2,634

-40.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$918 ¥6,158

$1,175 ¥7,887

-21.92%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$503 ¥3,378

$651 ¥4,369

-22.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,950 ¥19.8K

$7,757 ¥52.0K

-61.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,603 ¥10.8K

$3,645 ¥24.5K

-56.02%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,067 ¥7,157

$1,477 ¥9,908

-27.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

3.5

-4.29%

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

Last update for Changzhou: August 29, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $284 in Changzhou and $622 in Hangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 38% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $29.00 in Changzhou vs $26.00 in Hangzhou. Groceries flip the comparison at $194 vs $237, with Changzhou cheaper for home cooking.

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

Changzhou vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 38% lower in Hangzhou. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $284 in Changzhou versus $622 in Hangzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% higher in Hangzhou. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Changzhou – a meal for two runs $29.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $733 in Changzhou versus $1,015 in Hangzhou, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changzhou but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Changzhou 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.

Expats usually find Changzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 38% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.