Cost of Living Comparison Between Changzhou and Iloilo Cost of Living Comparison Between Changzhou and Iloilo

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $708 in Changzhou versus $682 in Iloilo.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,160 in Changzhou versus $1,034 in Iloilo.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,612 in Changzhou versus $1,386 in Iloilo.

Living in Changzhou is roughly 4% more expensive than Iloilo, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Changzhou 47% lower, Iloilo 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.84 ¥19.24

$2.59 ₱159

9.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.70 ¥181

$21.53 ₱1,323

24.01%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.24 ¥28.74

$3.60 ₱221

17.78%

Cappuccino

$2.95 ¥20.00

$1.96 ₱121

50.51%

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

$0.48 ¥3.22

$0.57 ₱35.06

-15.79%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.68

$0.30 ₱18.30

-16.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.69 ¥4.66

$0.95 ₱58.4

-27.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ¥9.64

$1.79 ₱110

-20.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.99 ¥13.49

$1.81 ₱111

9.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ¥8.61

$1.26 ₱77.3

0.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.30

$0.93 ₱57.1

Eggs

$1.80 ¥12.18

$2.27 ₱140

-20.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.80 ¥46.08

$5.81 ₱357

17.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.41 ¥16.33

$4.35 ₱267

-44.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 ¥63.9

$7.12 ₱437

32.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.77 ¥12.00

$3.70 ₱228

-52.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.14 ₱69.9

57.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.65 ¥11.16

$3.26 ₱201

-49.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.51

$1.56 ₱96.0

-38.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.96

$2.59 ₱159

-71.81%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.22

$3.04 ₱187

-69.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.39 ¥2.65

$1.68 ₱103

-76.79%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ¥3.30

$0.90 ₱55.4

-45.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.01 ¥20.42

$3.11 ₱191

-3.22%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.32 ¥69.9

$5.51 ₱339

87.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.65

$1.28 ₱78.6

-46.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥11.00

$1.44 ₱88.2

12.50%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$0.25 ₱15.44

20.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$13.20 ¥89.4

$5.27 ₱324

150.47%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.35 ¥9.14

$0.68 ₱41.52

98.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.91

$0.31 ₱19.32

-9.68%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.71 ¥18.34

$2.70 ₱166

0.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.85

$1.10 ₱67.4

5.45%

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

$15.4K ¥104.2K

$24.0K ₱1.5M

-36.05%

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

$17.4K ¥117.7K

$19.5K ₱1.2M

-10.83%

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

$44.68 ¥303

$66.0 ₱4,054

-32.30%

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

$11.47 ¥77.7

$31.13 ₱1,912

-63.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.22 ¥123

$30.21 ₱1,856

-39.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.78 ¥263

$27.72 ₱1,703

39.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.10 ¥95.5

Cinema Ticket

$6.43 ¥43.53

$5.45 ₱335

17.98%

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

$230 ¥1,560

$35.18 ₱2,161

554.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ¥94.0K

$4,364 ₱268.1K

218.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.28 ¥313

$44.89 ₱2,758

3.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.00 ¥176

$22.74 ₱1,397

14.34%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.6 ¥478

$61.3 ₱3,763

15.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$69.0 ¥467

$26.86 ₱1,650

156.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$285 ¥1,931

$237 ₱14.6K

20.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$204 ¥1,384

$179 ₱11.0K

14.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$844 ¥5,715

$357 ₱21.9K

136.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$472 ¥3,196

$285 ₱17.5K

65.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,967 ¥20.1K

$3,776 ₱232.0K

-21.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,597 ¥10.8K

$1,049 ₱64.4K

52.32%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,140 ¥7,722

$222 ₱13.6K

414.68%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

-58.13%

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

Last update for Changzhou: May 31, 2026

Last update for Iloilo: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $285 in Changzhou and $237 in Iloilo. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Changzhou pays 415% 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: $27.00 in Changzhou vs $22.00 in Iloilo. Groceries flip the comparison at $174 vs $202, 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 Iloilo: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Iloilo is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Changzhou pays 415% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $285 in Changzhou versus $237 in Iloilo. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Changzhou pay roughly 16% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

Dining out is cheaper in Iloilo – a meal for two runs $22.00 versus $27.00 in Changzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

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.

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.

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.

Expats usually find Iloilo gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Changzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.