Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuzhou and Hangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuzhou and Hangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $791 in Fuzhou versus $908 in Hangzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,278 in Fuzhou versus $1,462 in Hangzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,766 in Fuzhou versus $2,017 in Hangzhou.

Living in Fuzhou costs roughly 13% less than in Hangzhou, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fuzhou 41% lower, Hangzhou 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.78 ¥18.79

$3.50 ¥23.66

-20.57%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.62 ¥153

$26.22 ¥177

-13.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥36.29

$4.91 ¥33.20

9.37%

Cappuccino

$2.86 ¥19.31

$3.39 ¥22.94

-15.63%

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

$0.40 ¥2.74

$0.48 ¥3.26

-16.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.69

$0.29 ¥1.98

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.83 ¥5.61

$1.10 ¥7.43

-24.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥11.57

$1.63 ¥11.01

4.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 ¥12.70

$1.98 ¥13.40

-5.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.27 ¥8.57

$1.97 ¥13.31

-35.53%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.80 ¥5.42

$0.99 ¥6.72

-19.19%

Eggs

$1.33 ¥8.99

$1.81 ¥12.25

-26.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.61 ¥78.5

$16.80 ¥114

-30.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.97 ¥33.59

$2.58 ¥17.46

92.64%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.03 ¥88.1

$9.63 ¥65.1

35.31%

Apples (1kg)

$2.21 ¥14.96

$2.04 ¥13.81

8.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ¥8.94

$1.79 ¥12.11

-26.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.32

$1.60 ¥10.79

13.75%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.31

$1.20 ¥8.11

2.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.54

$0.72 ¥4.85

-6.94%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 ¥7.13

$1.00 ¥6.76

5.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.59 ¥3.96

$0.63 ¥4.25

-6.35%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ¥3.21

$0.53 ¥3.62

-9.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.75 ¥18.59

$4.27 ¥28.87

-35.60%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.20 ¥75.8

$13.56 ¥91.7

-17.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥5.08

$0.69 ¥4.66

8.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.74

$1.70 ¥11.47

-41.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.80

$0.51 ¥3.43

-47.06%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.41 ¥280

$15.03 ¥102

175.52%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.27

$1.77 ¥11.96

-22.60%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.92

$0.42 ¥2.85

-33.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.83 ¥46.20

$6.45 ¥43.60

5.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.14 ¥7.71

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

$21.1K ¥143.0K

$19.5K ¥131.6K

8.66%

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

$17.4K ¥117.6K

$16.7K ¥113.3K

3.82%

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

$38.75 ¥262

$45.27 ¥306

-14.40%

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

$9.73 ¥65.8

$11.28 ¥76.3

-13.74%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.45 ¥50.4

$18.42 ¥125

-59.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.08 ¥305

$60.0 ¥406

-24.92%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.13 ¥95.5

$15.86 ¥107

-10.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 ¥45.97

$6.42 ¥43.43

5.92%

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

$227 ¥1,533

$456 ¥3,083

-50.27%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,287 ¥62.8K

$28.5K ¥192.9K

-67.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.7 ¥370

$56.2 ¥380

-2.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.46 ¥186

$34.96 ¥236

-21.45%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.2 ¥542

$72.1 ¥488

11.19%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.2 ¥603

$93.3 ¥631

-4.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 ¥2,391

$523 ¥3,540

-32.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$224 ¥1,515

$301 ¥2,035

-25.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$825 ¥5,577

$1,118 ¥7,557

-26.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$416 ¥2,814

$685 ¥4,631

-39.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,592 ¥31.1K

$7,767 ¥52.5K

-40.88%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,335 ¥15.8K

$3,765 ¥25.5K

-37.97%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$972 ¥6,573

$1,470 ¥9,942

-33.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.56

3.83

-7.05%

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

Last update for Fuzhou: May 31, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $354 in Fuzhou and $523 in Hangzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 51% 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: $23.00 in Fuzhou vs $26.00 in Hangzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $211 vs $223 per month, with Fuzhou cheaper across the board.

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

Fuzhou vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuzhou wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Hangzhou. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fuzhou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

On paper, Hangzhou earns 51% less. 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: $354 in Fuzhou versus $523 in Hangzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fuzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $791 per month in Fuzhou versus $908 in Hangzhou – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $791 in Fuzhou versus $908 in Hangzhou, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fuzhou but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Fuzhou 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 Fuzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.