Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Bengbu Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Bengbu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Hangzhou versus $671 in Bengbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Hangzhou versus $1,053 in Bengbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,091 in Hangzhou versus $1,435 in Bengbu.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 51% more expensive than in Bengbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 26% lower, Bengbu 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$2.21 ¥14.85

71.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$10.26 ¥68.9

151.85%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.33

$4.80 ¥32.21

6.67%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥23.01

$3.13 ¥20.97

9.58%

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

$0.60 ¥4.01

$0.43 ¥2.91

39.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.25 ¥1.68

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$1.48 ¥9.92

-2.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.74

$2.20 ¥14.79

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$2.17 ¥14.58

-9.68%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$1.07 ¥7.19

55.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.72 ¥4.80

56.94%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.36 ¥9.13

58.82%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$10.50 ¥70.5

80.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.68

$2.91 ¥19.53

26.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥69.0

$9.10 ¥61.1

12.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$1.46 ¥9.78

52.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.99

$1.06 ¥7.13

26.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$1.52 ¥10.20

5.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.02

$0.70 ¥4.73

112.86%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.61 ¥4.08

52.46%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.62 ¥4.14

59.68%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.73 ¥4.89

-15.07%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.46 ¥3.09

28.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.80

$3.02 ¥20.26

32.12%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.3

$5.92 ¥39.71

124.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.35

$0.76 ¥5.09

5.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.18

$1.53 ¥10.27

9.15%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.31 ¥2.10

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$18.14 ¥122

-2.81%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.68 ¥11.25

12.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$0.35 ¥2.37

11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.54

$8.91 ¥59.8

-23.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.24 ¥8.35

5.65%

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

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$19.4K ¥130.0K

0.74%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$16.3K ¥109.5K

11.38%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$37.69 ¥253

33.03%

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

$10.55 ¥70.8

$5.35 ¥35.87

97.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.9

$6.97 ¥46.79

113.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$40.49 ¥272

27.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$12.99 ¥87.2

52.96%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥50.0

$6.02 ¥40.41

23.75%

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

$566 ¥3,796

$417 ¥2,795

35.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥239.2K

$22.7K ¥152.4K

56.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥392

$43.03 ¥289

35.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$33.55 ¥225

23.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥568

$65.2 ¥438

29.77%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥724

$85.9 ¥576

25.54%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,171

$287 ¥1,925

116.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,634

$182 ¥1,218

116.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,887

$568 ¥3,809

107.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,369

$325 ¥2,181

100.31%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$3,366 ¥22.6K

130.42%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.5K

$1,647 ¥11.1K

121.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,908

$675 ¥4,528

118.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.42

2.34%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bengbu: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Hangzhou and $287 in Bengbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 119% 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 $10.00 in Bengbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $168 per month, with Bengbu 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 Bengbu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bengbu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 51% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 119% 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 $287 in Bengbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $566 in Hangzhou versus $417 in Bengbu. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 41% higher in Hangzhou. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $671 in Bengbu versus $1,015 in Hangzhou, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bengbu but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Bengbu 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 Bengbu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 51% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.