Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Guilin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Guilin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,031 per month in Hangzhou vs $660 in Guilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,574 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,050 in Guilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,117 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,440 in Guilin, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 56% more than Guilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Guilin are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 25% lower, Guilin 52% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ¥24.24

$2.21 ¥14.78

63.80%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.19 ¥175

$14.65 ¥98.1

78.77%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ¥31.03

$2.95 ¥19.77

56.95%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥23.09

$2.10 ¥14.07

64.29%

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

$0.60 ¥4.04

$0.43 ¥2.85

39.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.29 ¥1.93

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ¥10.26

$0.83 ¥5.59

84.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥15.14

$2.15 ¥14.41

5.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.54

$1.45 ¥9.70

28.97%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.30

$1.25 ¥8.38

35.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.12

$0.64 ¥4.26

65.63%

Eggs

$2.15 ¥14.37

$1.76 ¥11.78

22.16%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.92 ¥127

$13.44 ¥90.0

40.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ¥25.56

$3.36 ¥22.47

13.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 ¥68.3

$11.16 ¥74.7

-8.69%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.75

$1.47 ¥9.87

59.86%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.06

$1.17 ¥7.85

15.38%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.64

$1.03 ¥6.87

54.37%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.05

$0.88 ¥5.86

70.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.17

$0.75 ¥5.03

22.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.25

$0.94 ¥6.30

-1.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.53 ¥3.56

16.98%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.43 ¥2.90

32.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ¥27.16

$3.77 ¥25.23

7.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.15 ¥88.0

$12.12 ¥81.1

8.50%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.26

$0.85 ¥5.68

-7.06%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.06

$1.64 ¥10.96

0.61%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.29 ¥1.93

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.70 ¥119

$18.88 ¥126

-6.25%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ¥13.27

$1.31 ¥8.77

51.15%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.31 ¥2.08

16.13%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.03

$6.76 ¥45.24

3.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ¥8.63

$1.20 ¥8.06

7.50%

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

$19.6K ¥131.4K

$19.1K ¥127.6K

2.94%

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

$18.5K ¥124.2K

$16.9K ¥113.2K

9.72%

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

$48.56 ¥325

$24.13 ¥162

101.24%

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

$10.10 ¥67.6

$5.02 ¥33.59

101.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.39 ¥96.4

$11.01 ¥73.7

30.70%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥351

$41.11 ¥275

27.49%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.47 ¥130

$13.76 ¥92.2

41.50%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.2

$5.07 ¥33.95

50.69%

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

$571 ¥3,826

$383 ¥2,565

49.17%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.4K ¥243.8K

$15.5K ¥103.7K

134.98%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ¥390

$42.87 ¥287

35.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.10 ¥282

$38.44 ¥257

9.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ¥568

$75.4 ¥505

12.41%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ¥742

$74.0 ¥496

49.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ¥4,159

$290 ¥1,943

114.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ¥2,594

$180 ¥1,207

114.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 ¥8,055

$593 ¥3,972

102.82%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 ¥4,310

$366 ¥2,451

75.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,644 ¥51.2K

$1,377 ¥9,223

454.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,653 ¥24.5K

$1,908 ¥12.8K

91.43%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,555 ¥10.4K

$481 ¥3,223

222.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.38

3.55%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 13, 2026

Last update for Guilin: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $621 in Hangzhou versus $290 in Guilin. 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 223% 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 $15.00 in Guilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $236 vs $193 – making Guilin the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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 Guilin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 56%, and the gap shows up most in Groceries & Markets. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,547 per month in Hangzhou and $990 in Guilin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou and $15.00 in Guilin. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,031 in Hangzhou and $660 in Guilin. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Guilin, where all-in costs run around $660, than in Hangzhou at $1,031. In Guilin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Guilin – 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 Guilin. 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.