Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Chengdu Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Chengdu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $918 per month in Hangzhou vs $693 in Chengdu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,478 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,102 in Chengdu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,038 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,511 in Chengdu, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 32% more than Chengdu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hangzhou and Chengdu are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Chengdu 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ¥23.14

$2.71 ¥18.34

26.20%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.18 ¥177

$23.62 ¥160

10.84%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.62

$5.01 ¥33.85

-0.80%

Cappuccino

$3.51 ¥23.77

$2.85 ¥19.31

23.16%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.43 ¥2.90

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.30 ¥2.04

-10.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.58

$1.14 ¥7.71

-1.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.19

$2.06 ¥13.92

-19.90%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ¥13.51

$1.76 ¥11.93

13.64%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ¥12.82

$1.45 ¥9.78

31.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.80

$0.86 ¥5.79

17.44%

Eggs

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.87 ¥12.61

-4.81%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.02 ¥115

$13.91 ¥94.1

22.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ¥18.30

$3.65 ¥24.71

-25.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.89 ¥66.9

$11.38 ¥77.0

-13.09%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ¥13.23

$1.83 ¥12.41

7.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.65

$1.21 ¥8.20

42.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.87

$1.52 ¥10.25

5.92%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.57

$1.06 ¥7.18

19.81%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.86

$0.70 ¥4.74

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.58

$0.75 ¥5.05

29.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.33

$0.56 ¥3.79

14.29%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.38

$0.61 ¥4.10

-18.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ¥27.98

$3.36 ¥22.73

23.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.43 ¥90.8

$5.42 ¥36.65

147.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥5.06

$0.99 ¥6.70

-24.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.50

$1.87 ¥12.65

-9.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.41 ¥2.74

24.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.62 ¥106

$27.48 ¥186

-43.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.61

$1.22 ¥8.24

52.46%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.70

$0.26 ¥1.75

53.85%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ¥42.21

$4.28 ¥28.98

45.79%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.87

$1.13 ¥7.62

2.65%

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

$19.7K ¥133.5K

$18.8K ¥127.3K

4.88%

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

$16.7K ¥113.1K

$16.4K ¥110.8K

2.06%

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

$44.39 ¥300

$43.99 ¥297

0.91%

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

$11.29 ¥76.4

$11.52 ¥77.9

-2.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.20 ¥123

$11.69 ¥79.1

55.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ¥409

$24.22 ¥164

149.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ¥107

$11.33 ¥76.6

40.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ¥43.63

$5.73 ¥38.75

12.57%

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

$447 ¥3,023

$338 ¥2,284

32.34%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K ¥195.8K

$12.2K ¥82.7K

136.94%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ¥394

$37.79 ¥256

54.06%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 ¥236

$37.95 ¥257

-7.91%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ¥481

$67.4 ¥456

5.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 ¥615

$49.73 ¥336

82.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 ¥3,443

$316 ¥2,134

61.28%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥2,091

$182 ¥1,231

69.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 ¥7,719

$615 ¥4,160

85.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 ¥4,541

$330 ¥2,230

103.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,710 ¥52.1K

$3,780 ¥25.6K

103.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,891 ¥26.3K

$1,910 ¥12.9K

103.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,480 ¥10.0K

$1,220 ¥8,248

21.37%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

4.21

-9.03%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 8, 2026

Last update for Chengdu: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Hangzhou versus $316 in Chengdu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 21% higher in Hangzhou, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou versus $24.00 in Chengdu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $198 – making Chengdu the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Chengdu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $918 in Hangzhou, $693 in Chengdu – roughly 32% apart. Hangzhou costs more across the board, with Sport & Entertainment showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,377 per month in Hangzhou and $1,040 in Chengdu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou and $24.00 in Chengdu. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $918 in Hangzhou and $693 in Chengdu. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chengdu, where all-in costs run around $693, than in Hangzhou at $918. In Chengdu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hangzhou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.