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: $908 in Hangzhou versus $708 in Changzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,462 in Hangzhou versus $1,160 in Changzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,017 in Hangzhou versus $1,612 in Changzhou.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 28% more expensive than Changzhou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 32% lower, Changzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.69

$2.84 ¥19.24

23.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$26.70 ¥181

-1.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.26

$4.24 ¥28.74

15.80%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.98

$2.95 ¥20.00

14.92%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.48 ¥3.22

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.25 ¥1.68

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$0.69 ¥4.66

59.42%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.03

$1.42 ¥9.64

14.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.43

$1.99 ¥13.49

-0.50%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$1.27 ¥8.61

55.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.73

$0.93 ¥6.30

6.45%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.28

$1.80 ¥12.18

0.56%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$6.80 ¥46.08

147.06%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.49

$2.41 ¥16.33

7.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$9.43 ¥63.9

2.12%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$1.77 ¥12.00

15.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.13

$1.79 ¥12.11

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.65 ¥11.16

-3.03%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$0.96 ¥6.51

25.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.73 ¥4.96

-1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$0.92 ¥6.22

8.70%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.39 ¥2.65

61.54%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.49 ¥3.30

8.16%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.92

$3.01 ¥20.42

41.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.9

$10.32 ¥69.9

31.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.69 ¥4.65

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.49

$1.62 ¥11.00

4.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.44

$0.30 ¥2.01

70.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$13.20 ¥89.4

13.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.98

$1.35 ¥9.14

31.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.28 ¥1.91

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.67

$2.71 ¥18.34

138.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.16 ¥7.85

-1.72%

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$15.4K ¥104.2K

26.54%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$17.4K ¥117.7K

-3.59%

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

$45.27 ¥307

$44.68 ¥303

1.32%

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

$11.28 ¥76.4

$11.47 ¥77.7

-1.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$18.22 ¥123

1.10%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥407

$38.78 ¥263

54.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$14.10 ¥95.5

12.48%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.51

$6.43 ¥43.53

-0.16%

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

$456 ¥3,088

$230 ¥1,560

97.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.3K

$13.9K ¥94.0K

105.57%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥381

$46.28 ¥313

21.46%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$26.00 ¥176

34.46%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$70.6 ¥478

2.23%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$69.0 ¥467

35.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,546

$285 ¥1,931

83.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,038

$204 ¥1,384

47.23%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,569

$844 ¥5,715

32.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,638

$472 ¥3,196

45.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$2,967 ¥20.1K

161.76%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$1,597 ¥10.8K

135.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,958

$1,140 ¥7,722

28.96%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Changzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Hangzhou and $285 in Changzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 29% 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 $27.00 in Changzhou. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $174, 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 28% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Hangzhou pays 29% 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 $285 in Changzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 28% 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 $27.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

At $708 in Changzhou versus $908 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 28% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.