Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Anshan

For one person, living is cheaper in Anshan: $626 a month against $1,023 in Hangzhou, rent and utilities included – about $4,800 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

49

Cost of Living Index in Hangzhou
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Hangzhou Living Index
30

Cost of Living Index in Anshan
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Anshan Living Index

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Hangzhou

🇨🇳 China

$1,023

/mo nomad

Anshan

🇨🇳 China

$626

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hangzhou and in Anshan

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,023 in Hangzhou versus $626 in Anshan.

Hangzhou $1,023
Anshan $626

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,574 in Hangzhou versus $1,011 in Anshan.

Hangzhou $1,574
Anshan $1,011

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,125 in Hangzhou versus $1,396 in Anshan.

Hangzhou $2,125
Anshan $1,396

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 64% more expensive than in Anshan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 24% lower, Anshan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.82 ¥25.52

$2.94 ¥19.67

29.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.78 ¥172

$18.46 ¥123

39.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.72 ¥31.55

$4.59 ¥30.70

2.83%

Cappuccino

$3.44 ¥23.02

$2.49 ¥16.65

38.15%

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

$0.61 ¥4.07

$0.36 ¥2.38

69.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$0.21 ¥1.40

57.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.19 ¥7.93

$0.73 ¥4.89

63.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥15.11

$1.61 ¥10.79

40.37%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.82 ¥12.20

$1.77 ¥11.80

2.82%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.22

$1.26 ¥8.42

33.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.38

$0.39 ¥2.59

182.05%

Eggs

$2.08 ¥13.89

$1.06 ¥7.07

96.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.25 ¥129

$9.06 ¥60.6

112.47%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 ¥25.18

$1.83 ¥12.24

106.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.09 ¥67.5

$8.93 ¥59.7

12.99%

Apples (1kg)

$2.37 ¥15.84

$1.02 ¥6.83

132.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.97

$1.17 ¥7.80

14.53%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.06

$1.17 ¥7.83

28.21%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.54 ¥10.27

$1.19 ¥7.95

29.41%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.20

$0.31 ¥2.08

200.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.17

$0.92 ¥6.14

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.55

$0.29 ¥1.93

134.48%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.83

$0.44 ¥2.92

29.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.20 ¥28.08

$3.78 ¥25.28

11.11%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.70 ¥91.6

$7.39 ¥49.42

85.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.32

$0.72 ¥4.79

11.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥11.47

$1.09 ¥7.29

57.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.29 ¥1.92

113.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.96 ¥120

$18.04 ¥121

-0.44%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.93 ¥12.89

$1.03 ¥6.90

87.38%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.14 ¥0.90

171.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.96 ¥46.52

$2.93 ¥19.59

137.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.37 ¥9.17

$1.05 ¥7.05

30.48%

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

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$19.5K ¥130.4K

-1.87%

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

$18.8K ¥125.9K

$15.1K ¥101.2K

24.37%

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

$47.48 ¥317

$29.47 ¥197

61.11%

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

$10.02 ¥67.0

$7.37 ¥49.28

35.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.74 ¥98.6

$14.66 ¥98.0

0.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.0 ¥341

$41.48 ¥277

23.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.35 ¥129

$14.78 ¥98.9

30.92%

Cinema Ticket

$7.44 ¥49.77

$5.93 ¥39.63

25.46%

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

$578 ¥3,863

$226 ¥1,514

155.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.1K ¥241.5K

$21.4K ¥143.1K

68.83%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.1 ¥388

$36.77 ¥246

57.87%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.37 ¥283

$32.89 ¥220

28.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.5 ¥578

$60.6 ¥405

42.68%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 ¥736

$69.9 ¥468

57.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$623 ¥4,167

$295 ¥1,971

111.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ¥2,605

$182 ¥1,217

114.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,199 ¥8,019

$629 ¥4,209

90.54%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 ¥4,495

$377 ¥2,518

78.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,857 ¥52.5K

$3,509 ¥23.5K

123.91%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,778 ¥25.3K

$1,923 ¥12.9K

96.44%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,583 ¥10.6K

$926 ¥6,194

70.82%

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: October 19, 2026

Last update for Anshan: October 18, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Hangzhou

$390 38.1%

Anshan

$182 29.1% 53.3% $208

Groceries & Markets

Hangzhou

$237 23.2%

Anshan

$152 24.2% 36.1% $86

Clothing & Footwear

Hangzhou

$134 13.1%

Anshan

$90 14.4% 32.6% $44

Eating Out

Hangzhou

$100 9.8%

Anshan

$76 12.2% 23.8% $24

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hangzhou

$72 7.1%

Anshan

$52 8.2% 28.7% $21

Sport & Entertainment

Hangzhou

$66 6.4%

Anshan

$53 8.5% 19.1% $13

Getting Around

Hangzhou

$24 2.4%

Anshan

$21 3.3% 14% $3.4

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $623 in Hangzhou and $295 in Anshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 71% 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 $18.00 in Anshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $152 per month, with Anshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Hangzhou

🇨🇳 Anshan

🕒 Local time

21:18 9:18 PM

Same time as Hangzhou

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,360,000

1,543,696

💱 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

On the map

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Between locations

Hangzhou Anshan 1,230 km ≈ 2 h nonstop flight

From you

Hangzhou
Anshan

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

Hangzhou vs Anshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Anshan is cheaper overall, especially in groceries, clothing, and eating out. The 64% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 71% 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: $623 in Hangzhou versus $295 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 $18.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,023 per month in Hangzhou versus $626 in Anshan – a 64% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $626 in Anshan versus $1,023 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 64% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.