Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Foshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Foshan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,015 in Hangzhou versus $772 in Foshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,553 in Hangzhou versus $1,233 in Foshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,091 in Hangzhou versus $1,693 in Foshan.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 31% more expensive than in Foshan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 26% lower, Foshan 44% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$3.64 ¥24.40

4.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$22.46 ¥151

15.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.33

$5.15 ¥34.54

-0.58%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥23.01

$2.95 ¥19.77

16.27%

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

$0.60 ¥4.01

$0.48 ¥3.24

25.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.31 ¥2.10

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$1.05 ¥7.05

38.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.74

$1.52 ¥10.23

44.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.65 ¥11.08

18.79%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$1.12 ¥7.49

48.21%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.93 ¥6.21

21.51%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.75 ¥11.75

23.43%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$16.75 ¥112

13.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.68

$3.94 ¥26.46

-6.60%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥69.0

$10.35 ¥69.4

-0.68%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$3.08 ¥20.65

-27.60%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.99

$1.26 ¥8.48

6.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$1.91 ¥12.79

-15.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.02

$1.58 ¥10.61

-5.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.08 ¥7.25

-13.89%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.94 ¥6.33

5.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.59 ¥3.97

5.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.54 ¥3.64

9.26%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.80

$2.17 ¥14.53

83.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.3

$10.38 ¥69.7

28.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.35

$0.92 ¥6.19

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.18

$1.47 ¥9.90

13.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.31 ¥2.11

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$10.44 ¥70.0

68.87%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.51 ¥10.13

25.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$0.50 ¥3.36

-22.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.54

$9.18 ¥61.6

-26.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.20 ¥8.04

9.17%

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

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$21.0K ¥141.1K

-7.17%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$15.9K ¥106.9K

14.10%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$84.5 ¥567

-40.63%

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

$10.55 ¥70.8

$7.90 ¥53.0

33.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.9

$16.05 ¥108

-7.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$70.5 ¥473

-26.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$23.03 ¥154

-13.72%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥50.0

$5.59 ¥37.51

33.27%

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

$566 ¥3,796

$451 ¥3,026

25.47%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥239.2K

$23.4K ¥156.8K

52.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥392

$42.49 ¥285

37.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$18.57 ¥125

123.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥568

$61.4 ¥412

37.86%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥724

$93.0 ¥624

15.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,171

$292 ¥1,959

112.92%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,634

$160 ¥1,075

145.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,887

$597 ¥4,007

96.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,369

$339 ¥2,274

92.14%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$4,278 ¥28.7K

81.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.5K

$1,835 ¥12.3K

98.62%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,908

$795 ¥5,332

85.82%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.83

-8.62%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Foshan: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $622 in Hangzhou and $292 in Foshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 86% 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 $22.00 in Foshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $237 vs $220 per month, with Foshan 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 Foshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Foshan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 86% higher in Hangzhou, 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: $622 in Hangzhou versus $292 in Foshan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Foshan runs roughly 69% less than in Hangzhou. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $566 in Hangzhou versus $451 in Foshan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $772 in Foshan versus $1,015 in Hangzhou, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Foshan but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Foshan 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 Foshan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 31% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.