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: $908 in Hangzhou versus $721 in Changchun.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,462 in Hangzhou versus $1,112 in Changchun.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,017 in Hangzhou versus $1,503 in Changchun.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 26% more expensive than Changchun, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 32% lower, Changchun 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.66

$2.72 ¥18.38

28.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥177

$20.09 ¥136

30.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.20

$4.76 ¥32.21

3.15%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.94

$2.67 ¥18.04

26.97%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.46 ¥3.09

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.27 ¥1.81

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.86 ¥5.80

27.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.01

$2.04 ¥13.80

-20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.40

$1.94 ¥13.12

2.06%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.23 ¥8.31

60.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$1.21 ¥8.20

-18.18%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.25

$1.06 ¥7.20

70.75%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$13.07 ¥88.4

28.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.46

$3.51 ¥23.70

-26.50%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.1

$8.61 ¥58.2

11.85%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.81

$1.45 ¥9.79

40.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.06 ¥7.14

68.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.79

$0.83 ¥5.58

92.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.11

$1.35 ¥9.15

-11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.68 ¥4.57

5.88%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.76

$0.62 ¥4.16

61.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.25

$0.44 ¥2.98

43.18%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.51 ¥3.45

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.87

$3.15 ¥21.31

35.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.7

$12.02 ¥81.3

12.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.66

$0.72 ¥4.89

-4.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.47

$0.96 ¥6.49

77.08%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.29 ¥1.99

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$16.85 ¥114

-10.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.09 ¥7.34

62.39%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.85

$0.26 ¥1.75

61.54%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.60

$3.29 ¥22.25

96.05%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.13 ¥7.67

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥131.6K

$18.3K ¥123.9K

6.21%

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

$16.7K ¥113.3K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

-12.77%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$41.43 ¥280

9.27%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$14.73 ¥99.6

-23.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$14.13 ¥95.6

30.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$42.61 ¥288

40.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$3.79 ¥25.60

318.47%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.43

$4.95 ¥33.44

29.70%

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

$456 ¥3,083

$280 ¥1,891

63.05%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥192.9K

$8,289 ¥56.1K

244.21%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$27.97 ¥189

100.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥236

$31.03 ¥210

12.67%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$73.2 ¥495

-1.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥631

$79.4 ¥537

17.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,540

$275 ¥1,863

90.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,035

$228 ¥1,539

32.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,557

$599 ¥4,048

86.68%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,631

$365 ¥2,466

87.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.5K

$1,804 ¥12.2K

330.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$1,125 ¥7,607

234.64%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,942

$962 ¥6,504

52.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

5.27

-27.32%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Changchun: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Hangzhou and $275 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 $20.00 in Changchun for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $188 per month, with Changchun 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 Changchun: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changchun is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 26% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Hangzhou pays 53% 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 $275 in Changchun. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Changchun runs roughly 12% less than in Hangzhou. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $456 in Hangzhou versus $280 in Changchun. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $721 in Changchun versus $908 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 26% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.