Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Chongqing and Hangzhou

For one person, living is cheaper in Chongqing: $722 a month against $1,023 in Hangzhou, rent and utilities included – about $3,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

35

Cost of Living Index in Chongqing
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Chongqing Living Index
49

Cost of Living Index in Hangzhou
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Hangzhou Living Index

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Chongqing

🇨🇳 China

$722

/mo nomad

Hangzhou

🇨🇳 China

$1,023

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Chongqing 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 Chongqing and in Hangzhou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $722 per month in Chongqing vs $1,023 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Chongqing $722
Hangzhou $1,023

A couple spends around $1,175 per month in Chongqing vs $1,574 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Chongqing $1,175
Hangzhou $1,574

A family of three spends $1,629 per month in Chongqing vs $2,125 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Chongqing $1,629
Hangzhou $2,125

Chongqing is about 29% cheaper than Hangzhou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both Chongqing and Hangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Chongqing 47% lower, Hangzhou 24% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.64 ¥17.62

$3.82 ¥25.52

-30.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.26 ¥149

$25.78 ¥172

-13.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.27

$4.72 ¥31.55

2.33%

Cappuccino

$2.07 ¥13.81

$3.44 ¥23.02

-39.83%

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

$0.46 ¥3.11

$0.61 ¥4.07

-24.59%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.33 ¥2.22

-6.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.22 ¥8.15

$1.19 ¥7.93

2.52%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.77 ¥11.84

$2.26 ¥15.11

-21.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.01 ¥13.44

$1.82 ¥12.20

10.44%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.07

$1.68 ¥11.22

-1.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.61 ¥4.05

$1.10 ¥7.38

-44.55%

Eggs

$2.25 ¥15.04

$2.08 ¥13.89

8.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.76 ¥119

$19.25 ¥129

-7.74%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.31 ¥22.11

$3.77 ¥25.18

-12.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.03 ¥67.1

$10.09 ¥67.5

-0.59%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.00

$2.37 ¥15.84

-37.13%

Banana (1kg)

$1.28 ¥8.57

$1.34 ¥8.97

-4.48%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.26

$1.50 ¥10.06

-18.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.07

$1.54 ¥10.27

-21.43%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ¥4.08

$0.93 ¥6.20

-34.41%

Onion (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.79

$0.92 ¥6.17

10.87%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.90 ¥6.02

$0.68 ¥4.55

32.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.62 ¥4.12

$0.57 ¥3.83

8.77%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.04 ¥20.32

$4.20 ¥28.08

-27.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.98 ¥60.1

$13.70 ¥91.6

-34.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.76 ¥5.10

$0.80 ¥5.32

-5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.73 ¥11.55

$1.72 ¥11.47

0.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.36 ¥2.38

$0.62 ¥4.16

-41.94%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.52 ¥151

$17.96 ¥120

25.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ¥9.74

$1.93 ¥12.89

-24.35%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.38 ¥2.56

-18.42%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$2.91 ¥19.46

$6.96 ¥46.52

-58.19%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.32 ¥8.80

$1.37 ¥9.17

-3.65%

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

$19.4K ¥129.8K

$19.1K ¥127.9K

1.50%

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

$17.2K ¥115.0K

$18.8K ¥125.9K

-8.66%

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

$45.07 ¥301

$47.48 ¥317

-5.08%

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

$7.26 ¥48.52

$10.02 ¥67.0

-27.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.19 ¥48.09

$14.74 ¥98.6

-51.22%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.49 ¥331

$51.0 ¥341

-3.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.40 ¥69.6

$19.35 ¥129

-46.25%

Cinema Ticket

$5.95 ¥39.81

$7.44 ¥49.77

-20.03%

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

$289 ¥1,929

$578 ¥3,863

-50.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$25.1K ¥167.8K

$36.1K ¥241.5K

-30.54%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.99 ¥267

$58.1 ¥388

-31.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.64 ¥198

$42.37 ¥283

-30.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$66.0 ¥441

$86.5 ¥578

-23.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$64.4 ¥430

$110 ¥736

-41.51%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$426 ¥2,851

$623 ¥4,167

-31.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 ¥1,313

$390 ¥2,605

-49.58%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$894 ¥5,977

$1,199 ¥8,019

-25.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$422 ¥2,823

$672 ¥4,495

-37.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,741 ¥18.3K

$7,857 ¥52.5K

-65.11%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,741 ¥11.6K

$3,778 ¥25.3K

-53.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,102 ¥7,371

$1,583 ¥10.6K

-30.34%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.34

3.5

-4.57%

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

Last update for Chongqing: October 17, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Groceries & Markets

Chongqing

$214 29.7%

Hangzhou

$237 23.2% 10.7% $23

Accommodation & Living

Chongqing

$196 27.2%

Hangzhou

$390 38.1% 98.3% $193

Clothing & Footwear

Chongqing

$90 12.5%

Hangzhou

$134 13.1% 48.5% $44

Eating Out

Chongqing

$73 10.1%

Hangzhou

$100 9.8% 37.1% $27

Sport & Entertainment

Chongqing

$61 8.5%

Hangzhou

$66 6.4% 7.4% $4.5

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Chongqing

$60 8.3%

Hangzhou

$72 7.1% 21.4% $13

Getting Around

Chongqing

$27 3.7%

Hangzhou

$24 2.4% 9.9% $2.7

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $426 in Chongqing versus $623 in Hangzhou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 44% higher in Hangzhou, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $22.00 in Chongqing versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $214 vs $237 – making Chongqing the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Chongqing

🇨🇳 Hangzhou

🕒 Local time

21:19 9:19 PM

Same time as Chongqing

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,564,449

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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Chongqing Hangzhou 1,320 km ≈ 2 h 15 min nonstop flight

From you

Chongqing
Hangzhou

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

Chongqing vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 42%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in clothing.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,082 per month in Chongqing and $1,535 in Hangzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $289 per month in Chongqing and $578 in Hangzhou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $722, than in Hangzhou at $1,023. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – 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 Chongqing. 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.