Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Kunshan Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Kunshan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Hangzhou vs $724 in Kunshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,128 in Kunshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,533 in Kunshan, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 25% more than Kunshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Kunshan are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Kunshan 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.69

$2.75 ¥18.60

27.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$21.86 ¥148

19.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.26

$4.95 ¥33.53

-0.81%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.98

$3.10 ¥20.96

9.35%

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

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.43 ¥2.91

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.27 ¥1.81

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$0.92 ¥6.23

19.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.03

$2.13 ¥14.40

-23.47%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.43

$1.86 ¥12.61

6.45%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.33

$1.54 ¥10.41

27.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.73

$0.95 ¥6.42

4.21%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.28

$1.59 ¥10.79

13.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$12.94 ¥87.7

29.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.49

$3.21 ¥21.73

-19.63%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$10.05 ¥68.1

-4.18%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$1.88 ¥12.74

8.51%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.13

$1.21 ¥8.22

47.93%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.81

$1.47 ¥9.98

8.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.13 ¥7.68

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.75 ¥5.05

-4.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$0.97 ¥6.55

3.09%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.60 ¥4.07

5.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.54 ¥3.69

-1.85%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.92

$3.15 ¥21.35

35.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.9

$10.48 ¥71.0

29.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.79 ¥5.38

-12.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.49

$1.59 ¥10.75

6.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.44

$0.27 ¥1.82

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$16.53 ¥112

-9.07%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.98

$1.42 ¥9.60

24.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.33 ¥2.21

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.67

$6.60 ¥44.67

-2.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.72

$1.14 ¥7.71

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$19.3K ¥130.9K

0.69%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$17.3K ¥117.4K

-3.39%

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

$45.27 ¥307

$45.79 ¥310

-1.14%

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

$11.28 ¥76.4

$9.89 ¥67.0

14.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$11.60 ¥78.5

58.79%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥407

$41.14 ¥279

45.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$13.85 ¥93.8

14.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.51

$6.02 ¥40.80

6.64%

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

$456 ¥3,088

$333 ¥2,256

36.89%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.3K

$16.8K ¥113.6K

70.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥381

$44.51 ¥301

26.29%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$30.97 ¥210

12.88%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$70.6 ¥478

2.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$71.1 ¥482

31.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,546

$275 ¥1,859

90.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,038

$196 ¥1,325

53.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,569

$590 ¥3,997

89.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,638

$365 ¥2,473

87.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$3,048 ¥20.6K

154.87%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$2,045 ¥13.9K

84.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,958

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.89

-1.54%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Kunshan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Hangzhou versus $275 in Kunshan. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou versus $22.00 in Kunshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $199 – making Kunshan 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 Kunshan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 25%, 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 $1,086 in Kunshan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 12% 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 Kunshan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Kunshan, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Hangzhou at $908. In Kunshan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Kunshan – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Kunshan. 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.