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: $1,015 in Hangzhou versus $733 in Changzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Hangzhou versus $1,214 in Changzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,091 in Hangzhou versus $1,695 in Changzhou.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 38% more expensive than in Changzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 26% lower, Changzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$3.01 ¥20.18

26.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$28.60 ¥192

-9.65%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.33

$4.56 ¥30.62

12.28%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥23.01

$2.11 ¥14.19

62.56%

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

$0.23 ¥1.54

34.78%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$0.57 ¥3.84

154.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.74

$1.45 ¥9.75

51.72%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.93 ¥12.94

1.55%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$1.28 ¥8.57

29.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.96 ¥6.43

17.71%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.63 ¥10.91

32.52%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$7.53 ¥50.5

151.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.68

$2.88 ¥19.36

27.78%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥69.0

$12.37 ¥83.0

-16.90%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$2.11 ¥14.16

5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.99

$1.73 ¥11.59

-22.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$2.05 ¥13.74

-21.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.02

$1.09 ¥7.30

36.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.87 ¥5.83

6.90%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.93 ¥6.23

6.45%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.42 ¥2.79

47.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.68 ¥4.59

-13.24%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.80

$3.26 ¥21.84

22.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.3

$10.49 ¥70.4

26.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.35

$0.93 ¥6.26

-13.98%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.18

$1.59 ¥10.67

5.03%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.35 ¥2.32

65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$14.09 ¥94.5

25.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.47 ¥9.83

28.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$0.31 ¥2.09

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.54

$2.86 ¥19.17

137.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.26 ¥8.47

3.97%

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

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$17.3K ¥115.9K

13.07%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$13.9K ¥93.5K

30.49%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$63.2 ¥424

-20.63%

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

$10.55 ¥70.8

$8.63 ¥57.9

22.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.9

$10.42 ¥69.9

42.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$40.42 ¥271

27.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$15.00 ¥101

32.47%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥50.0

$4.55 ¥30.55

63.74%

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

$566 ¥3,796

$252 ¥1,691

124.53%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥239.2K

$14.9K ¥99.7K

139.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥392

$48.92 ¥328

19.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$27.76 ¥186

49.82%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥568

$73.1 ¥491

15.70%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥724

$75.1 ¥504

43.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,171

$284 ¥1,906

118.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,634

$232 ¥1,555

69.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,887

$918 ¥6,158

28.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,369

$503 ¥3,378

29.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$2,950 ¥19.8K

162.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.5K

$1,603 ¥10.8K

127.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,908

$1,067 ¥7,157

38.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.35

4.48%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Changzhou: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Hangzhou and $284 in Changzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 38% 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 $29.00 in Changzhou. Groceries flip the comparison at $237 vs $194, 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, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 38% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 38% 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 $284 in Changzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 22% 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 $29.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $733 in Changzhou versus $1,015 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 38% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.