Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Hefei Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Hefei

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $776 in Hefei, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,235 in Hefei, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,091 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,694 in Hefei, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 31% more than Hefei, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hangzhou and Hefei are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 26% lower, Hefei 43% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.49

$2.46 ¥16.48

54.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$22.01 ¥148

17.40%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.28

$4.51 ¥30.25

13.53%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥22.98

$2.71 ¥18.13

26.57%

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

$0.60 ¥4.00

$0.53 ¥3.53

13.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.29 ¥1.95

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$1.02 ¥6.81

42.16%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.72

$2.05 ¥13.75

7.32%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.11

$1.62 ¥10.85

20.99%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.14

$1.95 ¥13.04

-14.87%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.80 ¥5.38

41.25%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.48

$1.83 ¥12.25

18.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$13.89 ¥93.1

36.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.65

$4.91 ¥32.93

-25.05%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥68.9

$11.58 ¥77.6

-11.23%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.92

$2.22 ¥14.89

0.45%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.98

$1.67 ¥11.19

-19.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.77

$1.71 ¥11.46

-5.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.01

$1.53 ¥10.23

-2.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.82 ¥5.52

13.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.62

$0.92 ¥6.18

7.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.85 ¥5.68

-27.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.70 ¥4.67

-15.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.77

$3.03 ¥20.29

31.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.2

$11.86 ¥79.5

12.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.34

$0.92 ¥6.16

-13.04%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.17

$1.97 ¥13.19

-15.23%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.85

$0.29 ¥1.93

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$45.35 ¥304

-61.12%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.18 ¥7.87

60.17%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.31 ¥2.11

25.81%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.48

$3.47 ¥23.26

95.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$1.23 ¥8.27

6.50%

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

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$19.2K ¥128.5K

1.85%

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

$18.2K ¥121.8K

$16.7K ¥112.2K

8.54%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$49.41 ¥331

1.48%

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

$10.55 ¥70.7

$9.12 ¥61.1

15.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.8

$11.74 ¥78.7

26.83%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$15.74 ¥105

227.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$15.29 ¥102

29.95%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥49.93

$6.20 ¥41.53

20.16%

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

$566 ¥3,791

$244 ¥1,636

131.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥238.9K

$8,710 ¥58.4K

309.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥391

$89.8 ¥602

-35.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$32.55 ¥218

27.77%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥567

$63.2 ¥424

33.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥723

$94.8 ¥635

13.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,166

$247 ¥1,655

151.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,631

$182 ¥1,220

115.74%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,877

$545 ¥3,654

115.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,364

$334 ¥2,236

95.13%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$3,509 ¥23.5K

121.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.4K

$1,939 ¥13.0K

88.01%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,896

$1,014 ¥6,796

45.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.15

11.11%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Hefei: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $622 in Hangzhou versus $247 in Hefei. 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 46% 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 Hefei. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $231 – making Hefei 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 Hefei: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 31%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,523 per month in Hangzhou and $1,165 in Hefei. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 2% more in Hangzhou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou and $22.00 in Hefei. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hefei, where all-in costs run around $776, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Hefei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hefei – 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 Hefei. 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.