Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Bozhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Bozhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Hangzhou versus $656 in Bozhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Hangzhou versus $1,059 in Bozhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,091 in Hangzhou versus $1,461 in Bozhou.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 55% more expensive than in Bozhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 26% lower, Bozhou 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$1.48 ¥9.91

156.76%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$21.91 ¥147

17.94%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.33

$4.53 ¥30.39

13.02%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥23.01

$2.61 ¥17.54

31.42%

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

$0.60 ¥4.01

$0.38 ¥2.57

57.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.27 ¥1.79

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$1.06 ¥7.13

36.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.74

$1.83 ¥12.26

20.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.23 ¥8.22

59.35%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$2.03 ¥13.62

-18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.47 ¥3.13

140.43%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.50

$0.91 ¥6.09

137.36%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$13.67 ¥91.7

38.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.68

$2.20 ¥14.76

67.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥69.0

$10.37 ¥69.6

-0.87%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$1.22 ¥8.17

82.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.99

$1.02 ¥6.87

31.37%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$0.71 ¥4.78

126.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.02

$0.77 ¥5.17

93.51%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.43 ¥2.89

116.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.61 ¥4.06

62.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.61 ¥4.06

1.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.57 ¥3.85

3.51%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.80

$3.00 ¥20.10

33.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.3

$11.88 ¥79.7

12.04%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.35

$0.93 ¥6.22

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.18

$1.17 ¥7.82

42.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.29 ¥1.94

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$18.97 ¥127

-7.06%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.06 ¥7.09

78.30%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$0.34 ¥2.29

14.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.54

$3.58 ¥24.05

89.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.08 ¥7.28

21.30%

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

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$19.4K ¥130.4K

0.47%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$16.5K ¥110.4K

10.44%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$49.63 ¥333

1.03%

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

$10.55 ¥70.8

$4.28 ¥28.71

146.50%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.9

$7.25 ¥48.65

105.38%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$41.55 ¥279

24.12%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$14.54 ¥97.6

36.66%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥50.0

$3.83 ¥25.70

94.52%

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

$566 ¥3,796

$239 ¥1,601

137.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥239.2K

$8,506 ¥57.1K

319.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥392

$43.73 ¥293

33.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$33.04 ¥222

25.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥568

$64.0 ¥430

32.16%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥724

$73.2 ¥491

47.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,171

$332 ¥2,227

87.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,634

$190 ¥1,273

106.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,887

$581 ¥3,900

102.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,369

$421 ¥2,825

54.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$2,766 ¥18.6K

180.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.5K

$1,925 ¥12.9K

89.39%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,908

$734 ¥4,928

101.07%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.15

11.11%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Bozhou: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Hangzhou and $332 in Bozhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 101% 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 Bozhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $183 per month, with Bozhou 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 Bozhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Bozhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 55% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 101% 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 $332 in Bozhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Bozhou – a meal for two runs $22.00 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 $656 in Bozhou – a 55% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $656 in Bozhou versus $1,015 in Hangzhou, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Bozhou but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Bozhou 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 Bozhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 55% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.