Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Chenzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Chenzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $726 in Chenzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,544 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,171 in Chenzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,072 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,615 in Chenzhou, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 40% more than Chenzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hangzhou and Chenzhou are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 26% lower, Chenzhou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ¥24.62

$2.95 ¥19.74

24.75%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 ¥177

$22.59 ¥151

16.69%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 ¥31.06

$4.99 ¥33.45

-7.01%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ¥23.20

$1.47 ¥9.87

135.37%

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

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.51 ¥3.44

17.65%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.07

$0.27 ¥1.82

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ¥10.07

$1.24 ¥8.27

20.97%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ¥15.34

$1.92 ¥12.84

19.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.54

$2.02 ¥13.55

-7.43%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.37

$2.35 ¥15.76

-27.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.11

$0.73 ¥4.86

45.21%

Eggs

$2.12 ¥14.20

$1.71 ¥11.45

23.98%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.41 ¥130

$12.84 ¥86.0

51.17%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ¥25.52

$4.03 ¥26.98

-5.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ¥68.6

$11.74 ¥78.7

-12.78%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ¥15.24

$0.62 ¥4.15

267.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ¥8.83

$1.16 ¥7.77

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.20

$0.73 ¥4.86

108.22%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.02

$1.17 ¥7.85

28.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.92

$0.99 ¥6.63

-11.11%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$1.53 ¥10.27

-35.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.22

$0.63 ¥4.23

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.49 ¥3.27

18.37%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ¥27.55

$3.05 ¥20.40

34.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 ¥90.9

$12.64 ¥84.7

7.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.24

$1.07 ¥7.13

-27.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥11.48

$1.61 ¥10.76

6.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.87

$0.31 ¥2.09

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.58 ¥118

$18.10 ¥121

-2.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.65

$1.53 ¥10.23

23.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.29 ¥1.92

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 ¥46.52

$4.37 ¥29.26

59.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.59

$1.21 ¥8.13

5.79%

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

$19.1K ¥128.2K

$19.5K ¥130.6K

-1.88%

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

$18.1K ¥121.1K

$17.6K ¥117.9K

2.73%

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

$48.93 ¥328

$57.2 ¥383

-14.41%

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

$10.09 ¥67.5

$8.81 ¥59.0

14.53%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.51 ¥97.2

$11.31 ¥75.7

28.29%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥345

$41.34 ¥277

24.72%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 ¥133

$14.89 ¥99.7

33.51%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 ¥50.0

$6.20 ¥41.54

20.48%

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

$570 ¥3,815

$328 ¥2,194

73.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K ¥244.2K

$16.6K ¥111.4K

119.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥391

$82.9 ¥555

-29.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.35 ¥284

$34.88 ¥234

21.42%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 ¥564

$87.9 ¥589

-4.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ¥728

$60.1 ¥402

81.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 ¥4,133

$288 ¥1,927

114.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ¥2,612

$181 ¥1,215

115.00%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ¥8,097

$611 ¥4,095

97.71%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ¥4,385

$378 ¥2,531

73.25%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,818 ¥52.4K

$3,168 ¥21.2K

146.81%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,669 ¥24.6K

$1,951 ¥13.1K

88.03%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,473 ¥9,866

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.46

1.16%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 5, 2026

Last update for Chenzhou: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $617 in Hangzhou versus $288 in Chenzhou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou versus $23.00 in Chenzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $214 – making Chenzhou 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 Chenzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $1,015 in Hangzhou, $726 in Chenzhou – roughly 40% apart. Hangzhou costs more across the board, with Eating Out showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,523 per month in Hangzhou and $1,089 in Chenzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Public transport costs about 3% less in Chenzhou. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

Kindergarten costs $570 per month in Hangzhou and $328 in Chenzhou. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Chenzhou, where all-in costs run around $726, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Chenzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chenzhou – 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 Chenzhou. 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.