Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Jining

For one person, living is cheaper in Jining: $675 a month against $1,020 in Hangzhou, rent and utilities included – about $4,100 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hangzhou
🇨🇳 China
$1,020
/mo nomad
Jining
🇨🇳 China
$675
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hangzhou and in Jining

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hangzhou and in Jining actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,020 per month in Hangzhou vs $675 in Jining, rent included.

  • Hangzhou $1,020
  • Jining $675

A couple spends around $1,566 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,012 in Jining, rent included.

  • Hangzhou $1,566
  • Jining $1,012

A family of three spends $2,112 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,349 in Jining, rent included.

  • Hangzhou $2,112
  • Jining $1,349

Hangzhou costs about 51% more than Jining, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hangzhou and Jining are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 24% lower, Jining 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.77 ¥25.22
$2.19 ¥14.62
72.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.72 ¥172
$16.48 ¥110
56.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.54 ¥30.33
$4.37 ¥29.21
3.89%
Cappuccino
$3.35 ¥22.38
$2.51 ¥16.75
33.47%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.59 ¥3.97
$0.51 ¥3.41
15.69%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ¥2.24
$0.31 ¥2.08
6.45%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.18 ¥7.90
$0.93 ¥6.21
26.88%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 ¥14.75
$1.61 ¥10.80
37.27%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.86 ¥12.44
$1.70 ¥11.35
9.41%
White Bread (500g)
$1.59 ¥10.60
$1.18 ¥7.89
34.75%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.12 ¥7.51
$0.94 ¥6.27
19.15%
Eggs
$2.01 ¥13.42
$0.96 ¥6.43
109.37%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$18.92 ¥127
$8.16 ¥54.5
131.86%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.78 ¥25.25
$2.87 ¥19.17
31.71%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.01 ¥66.9
$10.26 ¥68.6
-2.44%
Apples (1kg)
$2.28 ¥15.23
$1.45 ¥9.68
57.24%
Banana (1kg)
$1.41 ¥9.43
$0.99 ¥6.61
42.42%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.52 ¥10.16
$1.06 ¥7.06
43.40%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.55 ¥10.39
$1.17 ¥7.84
32.48%
Potato (1kg)
$0.89 ¥5.93
$0.61 ¥4.09
45.90%
Onion (1kg)
$0.98 ¥6.57
$0.73 ¥4.89
34.25%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.67 ¥4.45
$0.66 ¥4.42
1.52%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ¥3.61
$0.76 ¥5.08
-28.95%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.10 ¥27.40
$5.31 ¥35.50
-22.79%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.30 ¥89.0
$9.86 ¥65.9
34.89%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.78 ¥5.22
$0.95 ¥6.32
-17.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ¥11.02
$1.61 ¥10.74
2.48%
🚌 Getting Around
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.63 ¥4.21
$0.31 ¥2.08
103.23%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.61 ¥118
$18.21 ¥122
-3.29%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.91 ¥12.76
$1.04 ¥6.94
83.65%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.38 ¥2.54
$0.29 ¥1.93
31.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.28 ¥48.65
$3.60 ¥24.10
102.22%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.31 ¥8.76
$1.31 ¥8.77
-
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.3K ¥129.2K
$19.3K ¥129.0K
0.11%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.3K ¥122.5K
$17.6K ¥117.7K
4.13%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$47.44 ¥317
$60.8 ¥407
-22.00%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.05 ¥67.2
$6.92 ¥46.30
45.23%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.50 ¥97.0
$10.47 ¥70.0
38.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.5 ¥344
$42.31 ¥283
21.77%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.69 ¥132
$15.20 ¥102
29.54%
Cinema Ticket
$7.32 ¥48.94
$4.43 ¥29.64
65.24%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$568 ¥3,801
$386 ¥2,578
47.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.2K ¥242.1K
$7,427 ¥49.7K
387.61%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.6 ¥398
$43.12 ¥288
38.10%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$41.39 ¥277
$33.56 ¥224
23.33%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.2 ¥576
$72.6 ¥485
18.73%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$109 ¥728
$69.8 ¥466
56.08%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$626 ¥4,182
$281 ¥1,880
122.46%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$393 ¥2,628
$182 ¥1,214
116.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,206 ¥8,061
$391 ¥2,615
208.25%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 ¥4,490
$269 ¥1,796
150.05%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$8,023 ¥53.6K
$3,524 ¥23.6K
127.65%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,742 ¥25.0K
$1,958 ¥13.1K
91.09%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hangzhou
Jining
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,557 ¥10.4K
$592 ¥3,957
163.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
3.29
6.38%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: October 10, 2026

Last update for Jining: October 12, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hangzhou
$393
Jining
$182 53.8% $211
Groceries & Markets
Hangzhou
$234
Jining
$172 26.5% $62
Clothing & Footwear
Hangzhou
$133
Jining
$99 26% $35
Eating Out
Hangzhou
$98
Jining
$72 26.7% $26
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hangzhou
$72
Jining
$78 8.6% $6.2
Sport & Entertainment
Hangzhou
$66
Jining
$51 22.7% $15
Getting Around
Hangzhou
$24
Jining
$22 8.4% $2

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $626 in Hangzhou versus $281 in Jining. 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 163% 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 $16.00 in Jining. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $234 vs $172 – making Jining the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Hangzhou
🇨🇳 Jining
🕒 Local time
17:16 5:16 PM
17:16 5:16 PM
Same time as Hangzhou
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,360,000
8,357,897
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • Hangzhou Jining 670 km ≈ 1 h 15 min nonstop flight
From you
  • Hangzhou
  • Jining

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Jining: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Jining cheaper than Hangzhou?
Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 51%, and outside of rent the gap shows up most in groceries.
What income do you need for each city?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,530 per month in Hangzhou and $1,013 in Jining. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Which city has lower housing costs?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Jining, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How do food prices compare in Hangzhou and in Jining?
Groceries cost about 36% more in Hangzhou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.
Is eating out cheaper in Hangzhou or in Jining?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou and $16.00 in Jining. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget for living in Hangzhou or in Jining?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Jining, where all-in costs run around $675, than in Hangzhou at $1,020. In Jining it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Hangzhou or Jining more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Jining – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
Which city is the better choice to relocate to?
If budget matters most, go with Jining. 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.

Hangzhou vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar cities

Show times on the 12-hour clock, temperatures in °F and distances in miles?