Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Foshan

For one person, living is cheaper in Foshan: $777 a month against $1,020 in Hangzhou, rent and utilities included – about $2,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

50

Cost of Living Index in Hangzhou
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Hangzhou Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in Foshan
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Foshan Living Index

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Hangzhou

🇨🇳 China

$1,020

/mo nomad

Foshan

🇨🇳 China

$777

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hangzhou and in Foshan

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hangzhou and in Foshan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,020 in Hangzhou versus $777 in Foshan.

Hangzhou $1,020
Foshan $777

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,566 in Hangzhou versus $1,242 in Foshan.

Hangzhou $1,566
Foshan $1,242

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,112 in Hangzhou versus $1,708 in Foshan.

Hangzhou $2,112
Foshan $1,708

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 31% more expensive than in Foshan, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in clothing.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 24% lower, Foshan 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.77 ¥25.22

$3.78 ¥25.26

-0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.72 ¥172

$22.79 ¥152

12.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.54 ¥30.33

$5.11 ¥34.19

-11.15%

Cappuccino

$3.35 ¥22.38

$3.07 ¥20.50

9.12%

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

$0.59 ¥3.97

$0.52 ¥3.49

13.46%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.33 ¥2.24

$0.31 ¥2.09

6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.18 ¥7.90

$1.22 ¥8.17

-3.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.75

$1.89 ¥12.61

16.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.86 ¥12.44

$1.66 ¥11.11

12.05%

White Bread (500g)

$1.59 ¥10.60

$1.12 ¥7.48

41.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.51

$0.92 ¥6.16

21.74%

Eggs

$2.01 ¥13.42

$1.70 ¥11.38

18.24%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.92 ¥127

$16.68 ¥112

13.43%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.78 ¥25.25

$3.92 ¥26.18

-3.57%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.01 ¥66.9

$10.69 ¥71.5

-6.36%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ¥15.23

$3.01 ¥20.16

-24.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.43

$1.27 ¥8.51

11.02%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.16

$1.90 ¥12.69

-20.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.55 ¥10.39

$1.63 ¥10.91

-4.91%

Potato (1kg)

$0.89 ¥5.93

$1.09 ¥7.27

-18.35%

Onion (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.57

$0.95 ¥6.38

3.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.45

$0.64 ¥4.26

4.69%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.61

$0.50 ¥3.36

8.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.10 ¥27.40

$2.23 ¥14.89

83.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 ¥89.0

$10.23 ¥68.4

30.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.22

$0.93 ¥6.24

-16.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.02

$1.51 ¥10.13

9.27%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.63 ¥4.21

$0.31 ¥2.08

103.23%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.61 ¥118

$10.62 ¥71.0

65.82%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.91 ¥12.76

$1.52 ¥10.18

25.66%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.54

$0.47 ¥3.15

-19.15%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.28 ¥48.65

$8.81 ¥58.9

-17.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.76

$1.22 ¥8.19

7.38%

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

$19.3K ¥129.2K

$21.3K ¥142.3K

-9.22%

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

$18.3K ¥122.5K

$16.2K ¥108.3K

13.14%

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

$47.44 ¥317

$84.5 ¥565

-43.87%

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

$10.05 ¥67.2

$7.92 ¥53.0

26.89%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.50 ¥97.0

$15.69 ¥105

-7.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.5 ¥344

$71.4 ¥477

-27.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.69 ¥132

$23.83 ¥159

-17.37%

Cinema Ticket

$7.32 ¥48.94

$5.31 ¥35.50

37.85%

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

$568 ¥3,801

$457 ¥3,054

24.44%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.2K ¥242.1K

$23.3K ¥155.8K

55.46%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥398

$42.21 ¥282

41.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.39 ¥277

$18.76 ¥125

120.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$86.2 ¥576

$62.1 ¥415

38.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ¥728

$91.8 ¥614

18.59%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$626 ¥4,182

$304 ¥2,031

105.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,628

$159 ¥1,061

147.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,206 ¥8,061

$596 ¥3,982

102.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 ¥4,490

$341 ¥2,279

97.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,023 ¥53.6K

$4,329 ¥28.9K

85.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,742 ¥25.0K

$1,864 ¥12.5K

100.78%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,557 ¥10.4K

$802 ¥5,362

94.14%

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: October 10, 2026

Last update for Foshan: October 11, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Hangzhou

$393 38.5%

Foshan

$159 20.4% 59.6% $234

Groceries & Markets

Hangzhou

$234 22.9%

Foshan

$220 28.4% 5.8% $14

Clothing & Footwear

Hangzhou

$133 13.1%

Foshan

$97 12.4% 27.4% $36

Eating Out

Hangzhou

$98 9.6%

Foshan

$96 12.3% 2.5% $2.4

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Hangzhou

$72 7.1%

Foshan

$108 13.9% 50.2% $36

Sport & Entertainment

Hangzhou

$66 6.5%

Foshan

$82 10.6% 23.9% $16

Getting Around

Hangzhou

$24 2.4%

Foshan

$16 2% 34.3% $8.2

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $626 in Hangzhou and $304 in Foshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 94% 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 $23.00 in Foshan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $234 vs $220 per month, with Foshan cheaper across the board.

Good to know

🇨🇳 Hangzhou

🇨🇳 Foshan

🕒 Local time

09:04 9:04 AM

Same time as Hangzhou

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

10,360,000

9,498,863

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

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Between locations

Hangzhou Foshan 1,070 km ≈ 1 h 45 min nonstop flight

From you

Hangzhou
Foshan

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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, clothing, and eating out. The 31% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 94% 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: $626 in Hangzhou versus $304 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 66% less than in Hangzhou. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $568 in Hangzhou versus $457 in Foshan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $777 in Foshan versus $1,020 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.