Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Guangzhou (Canton) Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Guangzhou (Canton)

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Hangzhou vs $850 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,416 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,981 in Guangzhou (Canton), rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 7% more than Guangzhou (Canton), driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Guangzhou (Canton) are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Guangzhou (Canton) 37% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.68

$2.74 ¥18.57

27.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$22.37 ¥151

17.21%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.24

$4.77 ¥32.29

2.94%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.97

$3.17 ¥21.43

6.94%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.50 ¥3.40

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.30 ¥2.02

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$1.01 ¥6.84

8.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.66 ¥11.21

-1.81%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.42

$1.89 ¥12.78

4.76%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$2.03 ¥13.77

-2.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$1.29 ¥8.72

-23.26%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.56 ¥10.57

16.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$19.15 ¥130

-12.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.48

$4.70 ¥31.84

-45.11%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$14.33 ¥97.0

-32.80%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$2.12 ¥14.38

-3.77%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.25 ¥8.49

43.20%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$1.99 ¥13.49

-19.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.48 ¥10.03

-18.92%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.95 ¥6.43

-24.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$1.08 ¥7.34

-7.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.56 ¥3.81

12.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.61 ¥4.12

-13.11%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.90

$3.93 ¥26.57

8.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.8

$10.48 ¥71.0

29.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.93 ¥6.31

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.48

$1.41 ¥9.54

20.57%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.44 ¥2.97

15.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$25.10 ¥170

-40.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$1.62 ¥10.98

9.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.35 ¥2.34

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.65

$6.12 ¥41.39

5.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.16 ¥7.86

-1.72%

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

$19.5K ¥131.7K

$21.3K ¥144.0K

-8.53%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$19.5K ¥131.7K

-13.90%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$60.2 ¥408

-24.85%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$12.94 ¥87.6

-12.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$11.49 ¥77.8

60.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$40.75 ¥276

47.34%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$13.85 ¥93.7

14.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.48

$6.47 ¥43.81

-0.77%

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

$456 ¥3,086

$319 ¥2,161

42.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.1K

$16.2K ¥109.7K

76.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$41.23 ¥279

36.33%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$28.59 ¥194

22.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$69.1 ¥467

4.43%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$61.7 ¥417

51.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,543

$492 ¥3,333

6.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,037

$269 ¥1,824

11.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,565

$1,135 ¥7,680

-1.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,636

$618 ¥4,181

10.88%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$8,864 ¥60.0K

-12.37%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$3,369 ¥22.8K

11.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,952

$1,314 ¥8,894

11.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

4.08

-6.13%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Guangzhou (Canton): June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Hangzhou versus $492 in Guangzhou (Canton). Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 12% higher in Hangzhou, which partly offsets the higher cost of living there. Purchasing power depends on which expenses matter most to you.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou versus $22.00 in Guangzhou (Canton). Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Hangzhou vs $251 in Guangzhou (Canton) – so Hangzhou wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Guangzhou (Canton): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $908 in Hangzhou, $850 in Guangzhou (Canton) – roughly 7% apart. Hangzhou costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,362 per month in Hangzhou and $1,275 in Guangzhou (Canton). That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Guangzhou (Canton), especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $908 in Hangzhou and $850 in Guangzhou (Canton). The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Public transport costs about 67% less in Guangzhou (Canton). For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Guangzhou (Canton), where all-in costs run around $850, than in Hangzhou at $908. In Guangzhou (Canton) it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guangzhou (Canton) – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Guangzhou (Canton). If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Hangzhou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.