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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $896 per month in Hangzhou vs $705 in Kunshan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,480 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,123 in Kunshan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,064 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,542 in Kunshan, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 27% more than Kunshan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Kunshan are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 33% lower, Kunshan 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ¥23.39

$2.74 ¥18.73

24.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.99 ¥184

$21.68 ¥148

24.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ¥32.28

$4.98 ¥34.01

-5.02%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥23.24

$3.07 ¥20.94

10.75%

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

$0.52 ¥3.58

$0.43 ¥2.96

20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.77

$0.93 ¥6.37

22.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.48

$2.14 ¥14.61

-21.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥13.33

$1.85 ¥12.66

5.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.41

$1.56 ¥10.67

25.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.84

$0.91 ¥6.21

9.89%

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.75

$1.59 ¥10.85

8.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.31 ¥118

$12.58 ¥86.0

37.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 ¥17.87

$3.10 ¥21.19

-15.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ¥65.5

$10.08 ¥68.9

-4.86%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ¥14.01

$1.82 ¥12.41

12.64%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$1.22 ¥8.32

47.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ¥11.21

$1.55 ¥10.61

5.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.29

$1.15 ¥7.82

5.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ¥5.03

$0.73 ¥5.01

1.37%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.95 ¥6.47

-1.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.33

$0.57 ¥3.89

10.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.60

$0.55 ¥3.77

-3.64%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ¥28.19

$3.21 ¥21.93

28.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 ¥88.4

$10.51 ¥71.8

23.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.70

$0.80 ¥5.49

-13.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥11.75

$1.58 ¥10.78

8.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.27 ¥1.82

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.19 ¥104

$16.76 ¥114

-9.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ¥12.13

$1.37 ¥9.38

29.93%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.89

$0.33 ¥2.24

27.27%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥44.03

$6.79 ¥46.39

-5.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.96

$1.16 ¥7.93

0.86%

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

$19.8K ¥135.3K

$19.7K ¥134.4K

0.68%

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

$17.0K ¥116.4K

$16.9K ¥115.3K

0.94%

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

$45.21 ¥309

$44.83 ¥306

0.85%

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

$11.43 ¥78.1

$9.55 ¥65.3

19.69%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.49 ¥126

$11.88 ¥81.2

55.64%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ¥406

$41.14 ¥281

44.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.30 ¥111

$13.99 ¥95.5

16.51%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ¥42.15

$6.00 ¥40.97

2.83%

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

$444 ¥3,035

$332 ¥2,266

33.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.6K ¥195.4K

$17.0K ¥116.4K

67.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ¥390

$44.48 ¥304

28.24%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 ¥240

$29.99 ¥205

17.07%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ¥497

$70.7 ¥483

3.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 ¥640

$70.9 ¥484

32.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 ¥3,508

$280 ¥1,915

83.18%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ¥2,117

$195 ¥1,331

58.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 ¥7,839

$593 ¥4,052

93.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ¥4,514

$360 ¥2,455

83.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,931 ¥54.2K

$2,973 ¥20.3K

166.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 ¥26.9K

$2,017 ¥13.8K

94.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 ¥9,415

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: April 11, 2026

Last update for Kunshan: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Hangzhou versus $280 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 $27 in Hangzhou versus $22 in Kunshan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $197 – 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 27%, 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 $1,344 per month in Hangzhou and $1,057 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 13% 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 $27.00 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 $705, than in Hangzhou at $896. 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.