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: $908 in Hangzhou versus $649 in Bengbu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,462 in Hangzhou versus $1,061 in Bengbu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,017 in Hangzhou versus $1,473 in Bengbu.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 40% more expensive than Bengbu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 32% lower, Bengbu 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.69

$2.84 ¥19.23

23.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$22.21 ¥150

18.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.26

$4.98 ¥33.71

-1.41%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.98

$3.18 ¥21.53

6.60%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.45 ¥3.03

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.26 ¥1.77

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$0.81 ¥5.49

35.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.03

$2.03 ¥13.75

-19.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.43

$2.04 ¥13.80

-2.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$1.02 ¥6.88

93.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.73

$0.72 ¥4.88

37.50%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.28

$1.47 ¥9.94

23.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$9.30 ¥63.0

80.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.49

$2.85 ¥19.27

-9.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$8.76 ¥59.3

9.93%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$1.35 ¥9.16

51.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.13

$0.95 ¥6.41

88.42%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.37 ¥9.30

16.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$0.71 ¥4.81

69.01%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.57 ¥3.88

26.32%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$0.55 ¥3.70

81.82%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.71 ¥4.84

-11.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.43 ¥2.95

23.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.92

$2.85 ¥19.32

49.82%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.9

$6.04 ¥40.90

124.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.67 ¥4.51

2.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.49

$1.35 ¥9.17

25.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.44

$0.27 ¥1.82

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$16.96 ¥115

-11.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.98

$1.52 ¥10.29

16.45%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.36 ¥2.41

16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.67

$8.57 ¥58.1

-24.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.12 ¥7.59

1.79%

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$17.3K ¥117.2K

12.47%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$14.3K ¥97.1K

16.88%

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

$45.27 ¥307

$34.21 ¥232

32.33%

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

$11.28 ¥76.4

$4.93 ¥33.36

128.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$8.15 ¥55.2

126.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥407

$41.98 ¥284

43.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$13.95 ¥94.5

13.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.51

$5.47 ¥37.04

17.37%

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

$456 ¥3,088

$410 ¥2,777

11.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.3K

$18.4K ¥124.3K

55.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥381

$43.07 ¥292

30.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$33.20 ¥225

5.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$67.7 ¥458

6.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$82.8 ¥561

12.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,546

$278 ¥1,882

88.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,038

$185 ¥1,253

62.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,569

$587 ¥3,977

90.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,638

$367 ¥2,485

86.66%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$3,084 ¥20.9K

151.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$1,783 ¥12.1K

111.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,958

$652 ¥4,417

125.46%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.87

-1.03%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Bengbu: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Hangzhou and $278 in Bengbu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 125% 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 $22.00 in Bengbu for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $158 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 40% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Hangzhou pays 125% more on average, 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: $523 in Hangzhou versus $278 in Bengbu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Hangzhou versus $410 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 $649 in Bengbu versus $908 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 40% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.