Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Anshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Anshan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Hangzhou versus $632 in Anshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Hangzhou versus $1,013 in Anshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,091 in Hangzhou versus $1,394 in Anshan.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 60% more expensive than in Anshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 26% lower, Anshan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.49

$2.92 ¥19.57

30.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$18.73 ¥125

37.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.28

$4.44 ¥29.76

15.32%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥22.98

$2.45 ¥16.43

40.00%

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

$0.60 ¥4.00

$0.39 ¥2.60

53.85%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.23 ¥1.54

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$0.71 ¥4.73

104.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.72

$1.67 ¥11.21

31.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.11

$1.80 ¥12.06

8.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.14

$1.25 ¥8.35

32.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.36 ¥2.39

213.89%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.48

$1.01 ¥6.75

113.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$9.00 ¥60.3

110.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.65

$1.83 ¥12.28

101.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥68.9

$8.95 ¥60.0

14.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.92

$1.01 ¥6.80

120.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.98

$1.20 ¥8.06

11.67%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.77

$1.18 ¥7.90

36.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.01

$1.22 ¥8.16

22.13%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.29 ¥1.93

220.69%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.62

$0.91 ¥6.12

8.79%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.31 ¥2.09

100.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.43 ¥2.90

37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.77

$3.79 ¥25.41

5.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.2

$7.24 ¥48.49

83.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.34

$0.71 ¥4.73

12.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.17

$1.09 ¥7.33

53.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.85

$0.29 ¥1.94

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$17.86 ¥120

-1.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.02 ¥6.84

85.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.14 ¥0.91

178.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.48

$2.94 ¥19.71

130.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$1.09 ¥7.28

20.18%

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

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$19.2K ¥128.5K

1.86%

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

$18.2K ¥121.8K

$15.1K ¥101.0K

20.60%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$29.95 ¥201

67.41%

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

$10.55 ¥70.7

$7.31 ¥49.00

44.32%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.8

$14.91 ¥100.0

-0.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$41.96 ¥281

22.90%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$14.55 ¥97.5

36.56%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥49.93

$6.12 ¥41.04

21.73%

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

$566 ¥3,791

$223 ¥1,495

153.54%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥238.9K

$22.0K ¥147.2K

62.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥391

$37.50 ¥251

55.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$37.64 ¥252

10.49%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥567

$58.6 ¥392

44.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥723

$70.3 ¥471

53.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,166

$286 ¥1,916

117.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,631

$182 ¥1,216

116.30%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,877

$590 ¥3,954

99.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,364

$377 ¥2,528

72.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$3,101 ¥20.8K

150.17%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.4K

$1,906 ¥12.8K

91.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,896

$925 ¥6,200

59.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

75.00%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Anshan: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Hangzhou and $286 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 60% 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: $26.00 in Hangzhou vs $19.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $151 per month, with Anshan 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

Hangzhou vs Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 60% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 60% higher in Hangzhou, 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: $622 in Hangzhou versus $286 in Anshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Anshan – a meal for two runs $19.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,015 per month in Hangzhou versus $632 in Anshan – a 60% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $632 in Anshan versus $1,015 in Hangzhou, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Anshan but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Anshan 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 Anshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 60% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.