Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Changzhou and Iloilo

For one person, living is cheaper in Iloilo: $686 a month against $741 in Changzhou, rent and utilities included – about $660 less a year. The total is higher in Changzhou despite lower rent and utilities.

Changzhou
🇨🇳 China
$741
/mo nomad
Iloilo
🇵🇭 Philippines
$686
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Changzhou and in Iloilo

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $741 in Changzhou versus $686 in Iloilo.

  • Changzhou $741
  • Iloilo $686

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,217 in Changzhou versus $1,038 in Iloilo.

  • Changzhou $1,217
  • Iloilo $1,038

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,694 in Changzhou versus $1,390 in Iloilo.

  • Changzhou $1,694
  • Iloilo $1,390

Living in Changzhou is roughly 8% more expensive than in Iloilo, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changzhou 45% lower, Iloilo 49% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.92 ¥19.50
$2.72 ₱171
7.35%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$28.54 ¥191
$18.73 ₱1,179
52.38%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.51 ¥30.16
$3.23 ₱203
39.63%
Cappuccino
$2.22 ¥14.82
$2.02 ₱127
9.90%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.38 ¥2.55
$0.63 ₱39.83
-39.68%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.23 ¥1.53
$0.31 ₱19.48
-25.81%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.62 ¥4.15
$1.10 ₱69.0
-43.64%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.45 ¥9.69
$1.74 ₱109
-16.67%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.86 ¥12.47
$1.66 ₱105
12.05%
White Bread (500g)
$1.28 ¥8.59
$1.16 ₱73.3
10.34%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.00 ¥6.65
$0.91 ₱57.5
9.89%
Eggs
$1.72 ¥11.53
$2.02 ₱127
-14.85%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$7.41 ¥49.53
$6.02 ₱379
23.09%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$2.82 ¥18.85
$4.11 ₱259
-31.39%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.35 ¥82.6
$6.09 ₱383
102.79%
Apples (1kg)
$2.16 ¥14.44
$3.31 ₱208
-34.74%
Banana (1kg)
$1.73 ¥11.58
$1.08 ₱68.1
60.19%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.97 ¥13.14
$2.95 ₱186
-33.22%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.04 ¥6.96
$1.43 ₱90.1
-27.27%
Potato (1kg)
$0.77 ¥5.13
$2.29 ₱144
-66.38%
Onion (1kg)
$0.99 ¥6.63
$2.72 ₱171
-63.60%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.39 ¥2.60
$1.45 ₱91.6
-73.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.62 ¥4.18
$0.84 ₱52.6
-26.19%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.29 ¥22.03
$2.97 ₱187
10.77%
Wine (Bottle)
$10.58 ¥70.8
$6.35 ₱400
66.61%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.82 ¥5.48
$1.10 ₱69.2
-25.45%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.56 ¥10.45
$1.25 ₱78.7
24.80%
🚌 Getting Around
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.33 ¥2.20
$0.22 ₱13.83
50.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$14.32 ¥95.8
$4.68 ₱294
205.98%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.51 ¥10.09
$0.78 ₱48.87
93.59%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.31 ¥2.08
$0.34 ₱21.29
-8.82%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$2.93 ¥19.57
$2.44 ₱153
20.08%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ¥8.74
$1.21 ₱76.4
8.26%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$17.1K ¥114.1K
$21.6K ₱1.4M
-21.16%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$13.8K ¥92.3K
$19.6K ₱1.2M
-29.53%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$57.5 ¥385
$62.7 ₱3,947
-8.26%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.13 ¥54.3
$9.43 ₱594
-13.79%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.66 ¥71.3
$27.38 ₱1,724
-61.07%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.60 ¥271
$9.34 ₱588
334.69%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.75 ¥98.6
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$4.57 ¥30.53
$4.89 ₱308
-6.54%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$251 ¥1,681
$32.47 ₱2,044
674.10%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$15.1K ¥101.0K
-
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$55.3 ¥370
$23.44 ₱1,476
136.05%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$22.58 ¥151
$17.15 ₱1,080
31.66%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.0 ¥508
$56.7 ₱3,570
34.04%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$76.2 ¥510
$23.75 ₱1,496
220.84%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$285 ¥1,908
$306 ₱19.3K
-6.72%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$229 ¥1,529
$249 ₱15.7K
-8.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$917 ¥6,132
$1,175 ₱74.0K
-21.97%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$495 ¥3,311
$437 ₱27.5K
13.26%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$2,942 ¥19.7K
$3,747 ₱235.9K
-21.47%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,613 ¥10.8K
$1,026 ₱64.6K
57.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Changzhou
Iloilo
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,067 ¥7,131
$201 ₱12.7K
429.89%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.35
7.33
-54.30%

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

Last update for Changzhou: October 11, 2026

Last update for Iloilo: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Changzhou
$229
Iloilo
$249 8.9% $20
Groceries & Markets
Changzhou
$192
Iloilo
$188 2.1% $4
Clothing & Footwear
Changzhou
$104
Iloilo
$54 47.4% $49
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Changzhou
$76
Iloilo
$100 30.4% $23
Eating Out
Changzhou
$72
Iloilo
$68 4.8% $3.5
Sport & Entertainment
Changzhou
$50
Iloilo
$19 61.6% $31
Getting Around
Changzhou
$19
Iloilo
$8 57.1% $11

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Changzhou and $306 in Iloilo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changzhou pays 430% 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 $19.00 in Iloilo for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $188 per month, with Iloilo cheaper across the board.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Changzhou
🇵🇭 Iloilo
🕒 Local time
11:44 11:44 AM
11:44 11:44 AM
Same time as Changzhou
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
5,278,121
457,626
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

PHP, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Philippine Peso exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 62.96 PHP (100 PHP = 1.59 USD). 1 EUR = 70.78 PHP (100 PHP = 1.41 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Changzhou Iloilo 2,360 km ≈ 3 h 30 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Changzhou
  • Iloilo

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Iloilo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Iloilo cheaper than Changzhou?
Iloilo is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 8% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.
Where can you earn more: Changzhou or Iloilo?
Average pay runs 430% higher in Changzhou, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.
What is the rent difference between Changzhou and Iloilo?
Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Changzhou versus $306 in Iloilo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.
How do food prices compare in Changzhou and in Iloilo?
Supermarket bills run roughly 2% higher in Changzhou. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.
Is eating out cheaper in Changzhou or in Iloilo?
Dining out is cheaper in Iloilo – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $29.00 in Changzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.
Is $1,000 enough for either Changzhou or Iloilo?
Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Iloilo gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.
Is Changzhou or Iloilo more family-friendly?
For families, Iloilo is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Changzhou, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.
Which city is safer, Changzhou or Iloilo?
Safety-wise, Changzhou and Iloilo are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.
Which city is easier to live in as a foreigner?
Expats usually find Iloilo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 8% less than in Changzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.

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