Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Changzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Changzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $894 in Hangzhou versus $691 in Changzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,466 in Hangzhou versus $1,158 in Changzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,037 in Hangzhou versus $1,625 in Changzhou.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 29% more expensive than in Changzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 33% lower, Changzhou 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ¥23.44

$2.84 ¥19.18

22.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.12 ¥177

$26.06 ¥176

0.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.61

$4.23 ¥28.60

14.18%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.07

$2.93 ¥19.79

21.50%

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

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.48 ¥3.24

6.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.25 ¥1.67

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$0.68 ¥4.56

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.47

$1.41 ¥9.55

20.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ¥13.66

$2.00 ¥13.53

1.00%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 ¥12.91

$1.27 ¥8.61

50.39%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$0.99 ¥6.68

-4.04%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.58

$1.79 ¥12.11

-4.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 ¥117

$6.94 ¥46.86

149.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 ¥17.56

$2.53 ¥17.12

2.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ¥66.7

$9.77 ¥66.0

1.02%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$1.73 ¥11.71

13.87%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.80 ¥12.19

-4.44%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.72

$1.65 ¥11.14

-3.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.03 ¥6.94

16.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$0.73 ¥4.91

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.69

$0.97 ¥6.56

2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.50

$0.37 ¥2.47

81.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ¥3.29

$0.53 ¥3.59

-7.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥28.12

$3.03 ¥20.48

37.29%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$10.37 ¥70.1

28.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.71 ¥4.77

4.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.37

$1.64 ¥11.05

2.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.46

$0.32 ¥2.17

59.38%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ¥105

$13.14 ¥88.8

18.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.44

$1.41 ¥9.54

30.50%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.66

$0.28 ¥1.90

39.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ¥41.69

$2.82 ¥19.06

118.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.84

$1.10 ¥7.43

5.45%

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$15.2K ¥103.0K

27.87%

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

$16.8K ¥113.7K

$16.7K ¥113.0K

0.61%

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

$43.61 ¥295

$45.32 ¥306

-3.77%

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

$11.46 ¥77.5

$11.57 ¥78.2

-0.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.09 ¥122

$18.30 ¥124

-1.15%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 ¥395

$38.05 ¥257

53.80%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.25 ¥110

$13.73 ¥92.8

18.35%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ¥41.79

$6.44 ¥43.50

-4.04%

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

$453 ¥3,059

$234 ¥1,584

93.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K ¥194.3K

$13.7K ¥92.6K

109.71%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 ¥387

$45.12 ¥305

26.80%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 ¥239

$26.35 ¥178

34.16%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ¥476

$68.4 ¥462

2.94%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥625

$70.1 ¥473

32.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ¥3,453

$282 ¥1,903

81.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ¥2,022

$205 ¥1,387

45.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 ¥7,814

$850 ¥5,747

35.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ¥4,552

$462 ¥3,125

45.68%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,615 ¥51.5K

$2,987 ¥20.2K

154.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,739 ¥25.3K

$1,642 ¥11.1K

127.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,418 ¥9,579

$1,040 ¥7,029

36.27%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.35

14.33%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: July 13, 2026

Last update for Changzhou: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Hangzhou and $282 in Changzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 36% 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 $26.00 in Changzhou. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $177, with Changzhou 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 Changzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Changzhou is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 29% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 36% 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: $511 in Hangzhou versus $282 in Changzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 26% higher in Hangzhou. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Changzhou – a meal for two runs $26.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $691 in Changzhou versus $894 in Hangzhou, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Changzhou but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Changzhou 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 Changzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 29% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.