Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Fuzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Fuzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $908 in Hangzhou versus $791 in Fuzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,462 in Hangzhou versus $1,278 in Fuzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,017 in Hangzhou versus $1,766 in Fuzhou.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 15% more expensive than Fuzhou, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 32% lower, Fuzhou 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.66

$2.78 ¥18.79

25.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥177

$22.62 ¥153

15.92%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.20

$5.37 ¥36.29

-8.57%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.94

$2.86 ¥19.31

18.53%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.40 ¥2.74

20.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.25 ¥1.69

16.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$0.83 ¥5.61

32.53%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.01

$1.71 ¥11.57

-4.68%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.40

$1.88 ¥12.70

5.32%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.27 ¥8.57

55.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$0.80 ¥5.42

23.75%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.25

$1.33 ¥8.99

36.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$11.61 ¥78.5

44.70%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.46

$4.97 ¥33.59

-48.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.1

$13.03 ¥88.1

-26.09%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.81

$2.21 ¥14.96

-7.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.11

$1.32 ¥8.94

35.61%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.79

$1.82 ¥12.32

-12.09%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.11

$1.23 ¥8.31

-2.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.67 ¥4.54

7.46%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.76

$1.05 ¥7.13

-4.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.25

$0.59 ¥3.96

6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.48 ¥3.21

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.87

$2.75 ¥18.59

55.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.7

$11.20 ¥75.8

21.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.66

$0.75 ¥5.08

-8.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.47

$1.00 ¥6.74

70.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.27 ¥1.80

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$41.41 ¥280

-63.70%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.96

$1.37 ¥9.27

29.20%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.85

$0.28 ¥1.92

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.60

$6.83 ¥46.20

-5.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.14 ¥7.70

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

$19.5K ¥131.6K

$21.1K ¥143.0K

-7.97%

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

$16.7K ¥113.3K

$17.4K ¥117.6K

-3.68%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$38.75 ¥262

16.83%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$9.73 ¥65.8

15.93%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$7.45 ¥50.4

147.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$45.08 ¥305

33.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$14.13 ¥95.5

12.24%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.43

$6.80 ¥45.97

-5.59%

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

$456 ¥3,083

$227 ¥1,533

101.07%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥192.9K

$9,287 ¥62.8K

207.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$54.7 ¥370

2.72%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥236

$27.46 ¥186

27.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$80.2 ¥542

-10.06%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥631

$89.2 ¥603

4.58%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,540

$354 ¥2,391

48.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,035

$224 ¥1,515

34.29%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,557

$825 ¥5,577

35.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,631

$416 ¥2,814

64.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.5K

$4,592 ¥31.1K

69.15%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$2,335 ¥15.8K

61.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,942

$972 ¥6,573

51.26%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.56

7.58%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Fuzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $523 in Hangzhou and $354 in Fuzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 51% 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 Fuzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $211 per month, with Fuzhou 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 Fuzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuzhou wins on cost – living expenses run 15% lower than in Hangzhou. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fuzhou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

Hangzhou pays 51% more on average, 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: $523 in Hangzhou versus $354 in Fuzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fuzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $908 per month in Hangzhou versus $791 in Fuzhou – a 15% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $791 in Fuzhou versus $908 in Hangzhou, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fuzhou but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Fuzhou 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 Fuzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 15% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.