Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Changchun Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Changchun

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Hangzhou versus $817 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Hangzhou versus $1,230 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,091 in Hangzhou versus $1,644 in Changchun.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 24% more expensive than in Changchun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 26% lower, Changchun 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.49

$2.81 ¥18.82

35.23%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$21.92 ¥147

17.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.28

$5.93 ¥39.75

-13.66%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥22.98

$2.37 ¥15.91

44.73%

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

$0.60 ¥4.00

$0.58 ¥3.86

3.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.31 ¥2.09

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$0.87 ¥5.82

66.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.72

$1.84 ¥12.35

19.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.11

$1.95 ¥13.04

0.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.14

$1.27 ¥8.51

30.71%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$1.35 ¥9.08

-16.30%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.48

$1.88 ¥12.61

14.89%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$34.14 ¥229

-44.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.65

$4.95 ¥33.19

-25.66%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥68.9

$8.96 ¥60.1

14.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.92

$1.70 ¥11.38

31.18%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.98

$1.10 ¥7.36

21.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.77

$1.75 ¥11.72

-8.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.01

$1.37 ¥9.20

8.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.70 ¥4.72

32.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.62

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.57 ¥3.79

8.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$1.15 ¥7.73

-48.70%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.77

$3.68 ¥24.63

8.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.2

$12.05 ¥80.7

10.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.34

$0.86 ¥5.74

-6.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.17

$1.14 ¥7.66

46.49%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.85

$0.43 ¥2.90

34.88%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.18 ¥7.89

60.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.29 ¥1.92

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.48

$2.99 ¥20.03

127.09%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$1.26 ¥8.48

3.97%

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

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$19.2K ¥128.8K

1.58%

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

$18.2K ¥121.8K

$18.1K ¥121.0K

0.66%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$45.06 ¥302

11.27%

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

$10.55 ¥70.7

$4.33 ¥29.01

143.65%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.8

$14.92 ¥100

-0.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$37.18 ¥249

38.70%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$4.11 ¥27.54

383.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥49.93

$9.53 ¥63.9

-21.83%

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

$566 ¥3,791

$295 ¥1,977

91.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥238.9K

$8,938 ¥59.9K

298.80%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥391

$51.4 ¥344

13.56%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$44.54 ¥298

-6.62%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥567

$60.1 ¥403

40.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥723

$69.9 ¥468

54.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,166

$219 ¥1,471

183.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,631

$249 ¥1,670

57.52%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,877

$578 ¥3,876

103.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,364

$314 ¥2,106

107.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$1,635 ¥11.0K

374.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.4K

$976 ¥6,540

273.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,896

$965 ¥6,468

53.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

4.37

-19.91%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Changchun: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Hangzhou and $219 in Changchun. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 53% 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 Changchun. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $277, with Hangzhou cheaper for home cooking.

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 Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 24% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 53% 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 $219 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $566 in Hangzhou versus $295 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Dining out is cheaper in Changchun – 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.

At $817 in Changchun versus $1,015 in Hangzhou, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changchun but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Changchun 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 Changchun gentler on the wallet – expenses run 24% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.