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: $894 in Hangzhou versus $735 in Foshan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,466 in Hangzhou versus $1,180 in Foshan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,037 in Hangzhou versus $1,625 in Foshan.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 22% more expensive than in Foshan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 33% lower, Foshan 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ¥23.44

$3.11 ¥21.00

11.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.12 ¥177

$22.61 ¥153

15.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.61

$4.94 ¥33.37

-2.23%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.07

$3.10 ¥20.97

14.84%

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

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.50 ¥3.35

2.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.30 ¥2.05

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$1.09 ¥7.37

-0.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.47

$1.64 ¥11.09

3.66%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ¥13.66

$1.74 ¥11.78

16.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 ¥12.91

$2.02 ¥13.68

-5.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$1.24 ¥8.38

-23.39%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.58

$1.88 ¥12.67

-9.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 ¥117

$13.04 ¥88.1

32.59%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 ¥17.56

$4.06 ¥27.40

-35.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ¥66.7

$13.55 ¥91.6

-27.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$1.82 ¥12.31

8.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.22 ¥8.21

40.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.72

$1.74 ¥11.77

-8.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.39 ¥9.40

-13.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$1.01 ¥6.81

-27.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.69

$1.06 ¥7.15

-6.60%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.50

$0.74 ¥4.99

-9.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ¥3.29

$0.56 ¥3.79

-12.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥28.12

$3.38 ¥22.82

23.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$10.34 ¥69.9

28.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.97 ¥6.58

-23.71%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.37

$1.43 ¥9.69

17.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.46

$0.29 ¥1.98

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ¥105

$11.21 ¥75.7

38.45%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.44

$1.69 ¥11.42

8.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.66

$0.37 ¥2.53

5.41%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ¥41.69

$6.67 ¥45.06

-7.50%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.84

$1.17 ¥7.92

-0.85%

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$20.9K ¥141.0K

-6.56%

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

$16.8K ¥113.7K

$19.7K ¥133.1K

-14.58%

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

$43.61 ¥295

$65.4 ¥442

-33.34%

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

$11.46 ¥77.5

$10.19 ¥68.8

12.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.09 ¥122

$13.17 ¥89.0

37.36%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 ¥395

$67.9 ¥459

-13.84%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.25 ¥110

$19.83 ¥134

-18.05%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ¥41.79

$6.39 ¥43.20

-3.29%

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

$453 ¥3,059

$415 ¥2,802

9.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K ¥194.3K

$18.4K ¥124.6K

55.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 ¥387

$43.07 ¥291

32.83%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 ¥239

$28.15 ¥190

25.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ¥476

$70.0 ¥473

0.54%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥625

$78.8 ¥533

17.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ¥3,453

$281 ¥1,896

82.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ¥2,022

$141 ¥956

111.53%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 ¥7,814

$572 ¥3,866

102.11%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ¥4,552

$309 ¥2,090

117.77%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,615 ¥51.5K

$4,243 ¥28.7K

79.47%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,739 ¥25.3K

$1,850 ¥12.5K

102.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,418 ¥9,579

$811 ¥5,478

74.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

4.04

-5.20%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: July 13, 2026

Last update for Foshan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $511 in Hangzhou and $281 in Foshan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 75% 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. Groceries flip the comparison at $223 vs $224, with Hangzhou cheaper for home cooking.

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 Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Getting Around. The 22% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 75% 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: $511 in Hangzhou versus $281 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 38% less than in Hangzhou. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $453 in Hangzhou versus $415 in Foshan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

At $735 in Foshan versus $894 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 22% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.