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: $1,031 in Hangzhou versus $824 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,574 in Hangzhou versus $1,172 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,117 in Hangzhou versus $1,520 in Haikou.

Living in Hangzhou is roughly 25% more expensive than in Haikou, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities sit below the global median: Hangzhou 25% lower, Haikou 40% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.62 ¥24.24

$4.49 ¥30.04

-19.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.19 ¥175

$15.14 ¥101

72.99%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.63 ¥31.03

$5.82 ¥38.94

-20.45%

Cappuccino

$3.45 ¥23.09

$2.41 ¥16.16

43.15%

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

$0.60 ¥4.04

$0.86 ¥5.74

-30.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.34 ¥2.27

-8.82%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.53 ¥10.26

$1.46 ¥9.79

4.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥15.14

$2.64 ¥17.70

-14.39%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.54

$2.07 ¥13.83

-9.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.30

$1.48 ¥9.88

14.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.12

$0.68 ¥4.56

55.88%

Eggs

$2.15 ¥14.37

$1.35 ¥9.03

59.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.92 ¥127

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.82 ¥25.56

$3.78 ¥25.33

1.06%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.19 ¥68.3

$15.36 ¥103

-33.66%

Apples (1kg)

$2.35 ¥15.75

$1.70 ¥11.38

38.24%

Banana (1kg)

$1.35 ¥9.06

$0.88 ¥5.87

53.41%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.64

$1.13 ¥7.60

40.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.05

$0.88 ¥5.86

70.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.17

$0.86 ¥5.79

6.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.25

$0.76 ¥5.06

22.37%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.43 ¥2.87

44.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.57 ¥3.82

$0.56 ¥3.76

1.79%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.06 ¥27.16

$3.20 ¥21.44

26.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.15 ¥88.0

$8.99 ¥60.2

46.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.26

$0.57 ¥3.83

38.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.06

$1.18 ¥7.90

39.83%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.87 ¥5.85

-33.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.70 ¥119

$53.8 ¥361

-67.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.98 ¥13.27

$2.20 ¥14.74

-10.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

$0.43 ¥2.91

-16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.02 ¥47.03

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 ¥8.63

$1.21 ¥8.07

6.61%

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

$19.6K ¥131.4K

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

$18.5K ¥124.2K

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

$48.56 ¥325

$36.32 ¥243

33.70%

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

$10.10 ¥67.6

$13.55 ¥90.7

-25.46%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.39 ¥96.4

$13.65 ¥91.4

5.42%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$52.4 ¥351

$45.71 ¥306

14.66%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.47 ¥130

$6.37 ¥42.64

205.65%

Cinema Ticket

$7.64 ¥51.2

$4.51 ¥30.17

69.40%

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

$571 ¥3,826

$868 ¥5,809

-34.14%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.4K ¥243.8K

$19.3K ¥129.2K

88.63%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.3 ¥390

$26.56 ¥178

119.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.10 ¥282

$35.29 ¥236

19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.8 ¥568

$45.58 ¥305

86.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$111 ¥742

$38.53 ¥258

187.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$621 ¥4,159

$366 ¥2,449

69.87%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$387 ¥2,594

$295 ¥1,976

31.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,203 ¥8,055

$572 ¥3,829

110.40%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$644 ¥4,310

$365 ¥2,446

76.20%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,644 ¥51.2K

$3,219 ¥21.6K

137.48%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,653 ¥24.5K

$2,144 ¥14.4K

70.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,555 ¥10.4K

$705 ¥4,719

120.59%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.85

-9.09%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 13, 2026

Last update for Haikou: September 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $621 in Hangzhou and $366 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Hangzhou pays 121% 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 $15.00 in Haikou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $236 vs $167 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 25% in total monthly costs ($1,031 vs $824 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 121% higher in Hangzhou, 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: $621 in Hangzhou versus $366 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,031 per month in Hangzhou versus $824 in Haikou – a 25% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 204% less than in Hangzhou. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $824 in Haikou versus $1,031 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 25% less than in Hangzhou. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.