Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Nanchong Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Nanchong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $680 in Nanchong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,108 in Nanchong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,091 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,536 in Nanchong, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 49% more than Nanchong, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hangzhou and Nanchong are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 26% lower, Nanchong 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$1.80 ¥12.09

111.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$22.37 ¥150

15.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.33

$3.00 ¥20.15

70.67%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥23.01

$2.07 ¥13.87

65.70%

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

$0.60 ¥4.01

$0.47 ¥3.14

27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.31 ¥2.11

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$1.16 ¥7.75

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.74

$1.74 ¥11.69

26.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.99 ¥13.33

-1.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$1.56 ¥10.45

6.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.64 ¥4.29

76.56%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.50

$2.11 ¥14.13

2.37%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$17.58 ¥118

7.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.68

$3.41 ¥22.91

7.92%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥69.0

$10.05 ¥67.4

2.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$1.56 ¥10.47

42.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.99

$1.33 ¥8.91

0.75%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$1.18 ¥7.92

36.44%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.02

$1.26 ¥8.47

18.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.62 ¥4.14

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.95 ¥6.40

4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.82 ¥5.47

-24.39%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.66 ¥4.41

-10.61%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.80

$2.94 ¥19.72

35.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.3

$8.76 ¥58.8

51.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.35

$0.81 ¥5.42

-1.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.18

$1.65 ¥11.10

1.21%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.29 ¥1.97

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$18.23 ¥122

-3.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$0.91 ¥6.09

107.69%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$0.29 ¥1.92

34.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.54

$3.01 ¥20.21

125.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.27 ¥8.52

3.15%

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

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$19.0K ¥127.5K

2.74%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$16.6K ¥111.3K

9.61%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$44.58 ¥299

12.47%

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

$10.55 ¥70.8

$7.19 ¥48.23

46.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.9

$6.97 ¥46.76

113.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$40.66 ¥273

26.83%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$15.17 ¥102

30.98%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥50.0

$6.00 ¥40.28

24.17%

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

$566 ¥3,796

$288 ¥1,934

96.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥239.2K

$25.1K ¥168.6K

41.87%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥392

$39.01 ¥262

49.60%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$29.65 ¥199

40.27%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥568

$64.3 ¥432

31.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥724

$63.6 ¥427

69.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,171

$291 ¥1,952

113.71%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,634

$182 ¥1,220

115.95%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,887

$610 ¥4,093

92.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,369

$369 ¥2,476

76.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$3,642 ¥24.4K

112.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.5K

$1,908 ¥12.8K

91.09%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,908

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.34

4.79%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Nanchong: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $622 in Hangzhou versus $291 in Nanchong. 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 Nanchong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $213 – making Nanchong 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 Nanchong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 49%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. 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 $1,021 in Nanchong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 11% 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 Nanchong. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Nanchong, where all-in costs run around $680, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Nanchong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nanchong – 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 Nanchong. 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.