Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Chongqing Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Chongqing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $913 per month in Hangzhou vs $634 in Chongqing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,473 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,031 in Chongqing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,033 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,429 in Chongqing, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 44% more than Chongqing, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hangzhou and Chongqing are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Chongqing 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ¥23.70

$2.73 ¥18.66

27.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.20 ¥179

$21.15 ¥145

23.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥34.29

$4.98 ¥34.09

0.60%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥23.58

$2.38 ¥16.25

44.96%

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

$0.52 ¥3.58

$0.44 ¥3.00

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.83

$0.29 ¥1.98

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.48

$0.95 ¥6.50

14.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.27

$2.13 ¥14.57

-22.54%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.57

$1.78 ¥12.16

11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.38

$1.25 ¥8.52

56.80%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.85

$0.73 ¥4.96

36.99%

Eggs

$1.74 ¥11.90

$1.86 ¥12.70

-6.45%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 ¥118

$15.87 ¥109

8.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 ¥17.92

$2.51 ¥17.14

4.38%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.43 ¥64.5

$10.37 ¥70.9

-9.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.03 ¥13.88

$1.48 ¥10.11

37.16%

Banana (1kg)

$1.75 ¥11.95

$1.31 ¥8.94

33.59%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.40

$1.07 ¥7.34

56.07%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.16

$1.13 ¥7.75

5.31%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ¥5.06

$0.65 ¥4.44

13.85%

Onion (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.47

$0.90 ¥6.12

5.56%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.24

$0.54 ¥3.67

14.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.65

$0.63 ¥4.31

-15.87%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.15 ¥28.40

$3.15 ¥21.57

31.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.94 ¥88.5

$8.89 ¥60.8

45.56%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.69

$0.96 ¥6.56

-28.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$1.98 ¥13.55

-17.17%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.49

$0.27 ¥1.84

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.48 ¥106

$25.11 ¥172

-38.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥12.09

$1.41 ¥9.61

25.53%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.30 ¥2.03

43.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.09 ¥41.63

$2.71 ¥18.54

124.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.98

$1.11 ¥7.59

5.41%

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

$19.7K ¥134.5K

$18.3K ¥125.4K

7.29%

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

$17.2K ¥117.8K

$16.3K ¥111.5K

5.62%

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

$44.04 ¥301

$35.98 ¥246

22.40%

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

$11.61 ¥79.4

$6.04 ¥41.33

92.22%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.61 ¥127

$8.45 ¥57.8

120.24%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.8 ¥409

$21.73 ¥149

175.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.49 ¥113

$15.95 ¥109

3.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ¥42.21

$5.46 ¥37.31

13.00%

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

$446 ¥3,050

$331 ¥2,264

34.74%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.2K ¥193.1K

$27.4K ¥187.5K

3.00%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.3 ¥392

$29.34 ¥201

95.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.54 ¥236

$28.75 ¥197

20.14%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.5 ¥489

$58.5 ¥400

22.36%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 ¥626

$60.0 ¥410

52.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$515 ¥3,523

$266 ¥1,818

93.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,062

$158 ¥1,083

90.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,122 ¥7,675

$582 ¥3,979

92.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 ¥4,668

$324 ¥2,214

110.83%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,888 ¥54.0K

$2,569 ¥17.6K

207.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,973 ¥27.2K

$1,657 ¥11.3K

139.80%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,372 ¥9,385

$1,041 ¥7,123

31.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.74

2.41%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: April 22, 2026

Last update for Chongqing: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $515 in Hangzhou versus $266 in Chongqing. 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 32% 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 in Hangzhou versus $21 in Chongqing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $222 vs $197 – making Chongqing 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 Chongqing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 44%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,369 per month in Hangzhou and $951 in Chongqing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Kindergarten costs $446 per month in Hangzhou and $331 in Chongqing. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 13% more in Hangzhou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Chongqing, where all-in costs run around $634, than in Hangzhou at $913. In Chongqing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Chongqing – 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 Chongqing. 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.