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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Hangzhou vs $669 in Guilin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,081 in Guilin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,493 in Guilin, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 36% more than Guilin, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Guilin are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Guilin 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.67

$4.14 ¥27.98

-15.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥177

$18.72 ¥127

40.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.22

$3.42 ¥23.15

43.57%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.96

$2.72 ¥18.38

24.63%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.69 ¥4.69

-30.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.27 ¥1.82

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.43

$1.02 ¥6.91

7.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$2.04 ¥13.82

-20.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.41

$1.37 ¥9.27

44.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.31

$1.43 ¥9.68

37.76%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$0.63 ¥4.25

57.14%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.26

$1.69 ¥11.43

7.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$12.92 ¥87.4

30.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.47

$3.19 ¥21.58

-19.12%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.1

$8.14 ¥55.0

18.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.82

$1.77 ¥11.98

15.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.22 ¥8.24

46.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$1.37 ¥9.27

16.79%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.11

$1.08 ¥7.31

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.72 ¥4.89

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.76

$0.96 ¥6.51

4.17%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.25

$0.59 ¥4.01

6.78%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.94 ¥6.37

-43.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.88

$3.11 ¥21.04

37.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.8

$11.42 ¥77.2

18.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.66

$0.87 ¥5.92

-20.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.47

$1.59 ¥10.78

6.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.27 ¥1.81

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$16.49 ¥112

-8.85%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$0.93 ¥6.29

90.32%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.31 ¥2.08

35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.62

$6.74 ¥45.57

-4.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.13 ¥7.62

0.88%

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

$19.5K ¥131.6K

$19.2K ¥129.8K

1.40%

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

$16.7K ¥113.3K

$16.9K ¥114.4K

-0.93%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$27.83 ¥188

62.67%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$4.97 ¥33.63

126.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$11.52 ¥77.9

59.90%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$42.22 ¥286

42.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$13.74 ¥92.9

15.43%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.45

$4.08 ¥27.57

57.35%

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

$456 ¥3,084

$340 ¥2,298

34.22%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.0K

$17.0K ¥115.1K

67.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$43.10 ¥292

30.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥236

$30.82 ¥209

13.43%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$72.7 ¥492

-0.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥631

$74.1 ¥501

25.91%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,541

$279 ¥1,886

87.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,036

$191 ¥1,290

57.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,561

$582 ¥3,936

92.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,633

$355 ¥2,399

93.10%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.5K

$1,329 ¥8,988

484.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$1,715 ¥11.6K

119.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,947

$479 ¥3,240

207.00%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.87

-1.03%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Guilin: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Hangzhou versus $279 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 207% 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 $19.00 in Guilin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $192 – 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 36%, 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 $1,362 per month in Hangzhou and $1,003 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 $19.00 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 $908 in Hangzhou and $669 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 $669, than in Hangzhou at $908. 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.