Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Haikou Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Haikou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $912 in Hangzhou versus $771 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,496 in Hangzhou versus $1,184 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,079 in Hangzhou versus $1,598 in Haikou.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 18% more expensive than Haikou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 32% lower, Haikou 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 ¥23.92

$2.44 ¥16.72

43.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 ¥183

$24.48 ¥168

9.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥33.91

$5.11 ¥35.02

-3.13%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ¥23.78

$2.91 ¥19.90

19.24%

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

$0.48 ¥3.32

$0.45 ¥3.08

6.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.33 ¥2.27

-12.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.44

$1.38 ¥9.43

-21.01%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$3.62 ¥24.83

-54.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.59

$1.84 ¥12.58

7.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.92

$1.38 ¥9.45

36.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.95

$0.85 ¥5.82

18.82%

Eggs

$1.77 ¥12.15

$1.94 ¥13.27

-8.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.18 ¥118

$12.63 ¥86.5

36.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.70

$5.63 ¥38.55

-54.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 ¥66.7

$15.12 ¥104

-35.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.53

$0.82 ¥5.60

141.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.94

$0.88 ¥6.00

97.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.87

$0.41 ¥2.80

287.80%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.57

$0.94 ¥6.47

32.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.25

$0.76 ¥5.20

1.32%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.67

$0.68 ¥4.65

42.65%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.33

$0.27 ¥1.84

133.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.57

$0.49 ¥3.35

6.12%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ¥29.43

$2.91 ¥19.93

47.77%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.38 ¥91.7

$10.06 ¥68.9

33.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥5.03

$0.74 ¥5.10

-1.35%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.61

$1.64 ¥11.25

3.66%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ¥3.45

$0.27 ¥1.84

85.19%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.25 ¥104

$16.47 ¥113

-7.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.70

$2.83 ¥19.40

-34.63%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.67

$0.35 ¥2.41

11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 ¥43.27

$6.61 ¥45.29

-4.39%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.06

$1.15 ¥7.90

2.61%

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

$19.6K ¥134.1K

$20.7K ¥141.8K

-5.42%

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

$17.0K ¥116.5K

$16.3K ¥112.0K

4.08%

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

$43.96 ¥301

$34.36 ¥235

27.94%

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

$11.44 ¥78.4

$13.95 ¥95.5

-17.99%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 ¥128

$8.20 ¥56.2

127.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ¥411

$32.30 ¥221

85.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥112

$5.99 ¥41.01

173.46%

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 ¥41.84

$5.44 ¥37.29

12.32%

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

$452 ¥3,095

$329 ¥2,252

37.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.2K ¥200.3K

$28.1K ¥192.3K

4.11%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ¥388

$41.84 ¥287

35.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 ¥241

$41.81 ¥286

-15.79%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 ¥491

$42.15 ¥289

69.96%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 ¥627

$34.97 ¥240

161.57%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 ¥3,550

$354 ¥2,428

46.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥2,095

$280 ¥1,918

9.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 ¥7,746

$544 ¥3,723

108.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ¥4,577

$470 ¥3,220

42.15%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,144 ¥55.8K

$3,174 ¥21.7K

156.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,907 ¥26.8K

$2,113 ¥14.5K

84.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,389 ¥9,512

$694 ¥4,752

100.16%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

4.85

-21.03%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: April 27, 2026

Last update for Haikou: April 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $518 in Hangzhou and $354 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 100% 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: $27.00 in Hangzhou vs $24.00 in Haikou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $223 vs $208 per month, with Haikou 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 Haikou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Hangzhou and Haikou differ by about 18% in total monthly costs ($912 vs $771 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Hangzhou pays 100% 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: $518 in Hangzhou versus $354 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $912 per month in Hangzhou versus $771 in Haikou – a 18% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 8% less than in Hangzhou. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $771 in Haikou versus $912 in Hangzhou, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Haikou but tight or insufficient in Hangzhou. The gap between the two cities makes Haikou 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 Haikou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 18% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.