Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Datong Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Datong

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $908 in Hangzhou versus $718 in Datong.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,462 in Hangzhou versus $1,141 in Datong.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,017 in Hangzhou versus $1,564 in Datong.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 26% more expensive than Datong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 32% lower, Datong 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.73

$2.84 ¥19.25

23.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$21.18 ¥144

23.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.31

$4.73 ¥32.08

3.81%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥23.02

$2.97 ¥20.13

14.14%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.46 ¥3.13

4.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.45

$0.88 ¥5.96

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.04

$2.07 ¥14.01

-21.26%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.45

$1.86 ¥12.60

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.35

$1.54 ¥10.44

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.74

$0.89 ¥6.02

11.24%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.29

$1.53 ¥10.39

18.30%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$12.70 ¥86.1

32.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.52

$3.10 ¥21.03

-16.77%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.3

$10.35 ¥70.2

-6.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.85

$1.86 ¥12.59

9.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.15

$1.26 ¥8.56

42.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.83

$1.48 ¥10.06

8.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.13

$1.10 ¥7.45

9.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.86

$0.70 ¥4.75

2.86%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.78

$0.95 ¥6.42

5.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.61 ¥4.12

3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.63

$0.51 ¥3.45

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.96

$3.09 ¥20.94

38.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥92.0

$10.74 ¥72.9

26.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.76 ¥5.14

-9.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.50

$1.61 ¥10.90

5.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.44

$0.29 ¥1.97

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$16.99 ¥115

-11.54%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥12.00

$1.35 ¥9.18

31.11%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.35 ¥2.38

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.74

$6.54 ¥44.39

-1.38%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.73

$1.18 ¥8.00

-3.39%

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

$19.5K ¥132.0K

$19.4K ¥131.4K

0.42%

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

$16.7K ¥113.6K

$16.9K ¥114.8K

-1.00%

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

$45.27 ¥307

$45.90 ¥311

-1.37%

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

$11.28 ¥76.5

$9.91 ¥67.2

13.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$11.87 ¥80.5

55.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥407

$41.85 ¥284

43.46%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥108

$13.71 ¥93.0

15.68%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.57

$6.09 ¥41.27

5.42%

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

$456 ¥3,093

$328 ¥2,223

39.12%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.5K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

69.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥381

$44.31 ¥301

26.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$30.17 ¥205

15.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥489

$72.2 ¥490

-0.14%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥633

$71.2 ¥483

31.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,551

$281 ¥1,907

86.22%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,041

$196 ¥1,332

53.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,580

$593 ¥4,025

88.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,645

$359 ¥2,437

90.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.7K

$3,073 ¥20.8K

152.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$2,047 ¥13.9K

83.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,973

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.89

-1.54%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Datong: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Hangzhou and $281 in Datong. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $26.00 in Hangzhou vs $21.00 in Datong for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $198 per month, with Datong cheaper across the board.

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 Datong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Datong wins on cost – living expenses run 26% lower than in Hangzhou. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Datong the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,362 in Hangzhou and $1,077 in Datong to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $523 in Hangzhou versus $281 in Datong. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Childcare runs $456 in Hangzhou versus $328 in Datong. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Supermarket bills run roughly 13% higher in Hangzhou. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

At $718 in Datong versus $908 in Hangzhou, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Datong but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Datong 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 Datong gentler on the wallet – expenses run 26% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.