Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Nantong Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Nantong

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Hangzhou vs $624 in Nantong, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,028 in Nantong, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,432 in Nantong, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 45% more than Nantong, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Nantong are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Nantong 53% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.68

$2.72 ¥18.41

28.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$22.19 ¥150

18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.24

$4.56 ¥30.84

7.68%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.97

$2.54 ¥17.17

33.46%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.41 ¥2.79

17.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.26 ¥1.77

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$0.68 ¥4.57

61.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$2.03 ¥13.76

-19.70%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.42

$1.53 ¥10.39

29.41%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$1.42 ¥9.60

38.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$0.60 ¥4.09

65.00%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.47 ¥9.92

23.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$6.53 ¥44.22

157.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.48

$2.81 ¥19.00

-8.19%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$9.06 ¥61.3

6.29%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$2.16 ¥14.64

-5.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.39 ¥9.38

28.78%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$1.58 ¥10.71

1.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.20 ¥8.13

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.62 ¥4.23

16.13%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$0.90 ¥6.07

11.11%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.73 ¥4.95

-13.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.51 ¥3.48

3.92%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.90

$3.07 ¥20.80

39.09%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.8

$8.73 ¥59.1

55.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.88 ¥5.97

-21.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.48

$1.51 ¥10.23

12.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.22 ¥1.49

131.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$20.77 ¥141

-27.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$1.49 ¥10.10

18.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.28 ¥1.91

50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.65

$8.56 ¥58.0

-24.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.14 ¥7.74

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

$19.5K ¥131.7K

$16.9K ¥114.6K

14.92%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$14.7K ¥99.5K

13.91%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$39.15 ¥265

15.63%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$8.14 ¥55.1

38.57%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$11.20 ¥75.8

64.46%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$41.80 ¥283

43.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$11.10 ¥75.1

42.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.48

$5.42 ¥36.69

18.45%

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

$456 ¥3,086

$185 ¥1,251

146.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.1K

$11.2K ¥76.1K

153.69%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$41.98 ¥284

33.90%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$33.36 ¥226

4.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$60.8 ¥411

18.64%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$82.7 ¥560

12.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,543

$209 ¥1,412

151.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,037

$137 ¥926

120.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,565

$729 ¥4,934

53.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,636

$322 ¥2,178

112.81%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$3,723 ¥25.2K

108.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$2,384 ¥16.1K

57.90%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,952

$1,297 ¥8,779

13.36%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.87

-1.03%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nantong: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Hangzhou versus $209 in Nantong. 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 13% 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 Nantong. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $168 – making Nantong 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 Nantong: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 45%, 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 $936 in Nantong. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 33% 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 Nantong. 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 Nantong, where all-in costs run around $624, than in Hangzhou at $908. In Nantong it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Nantong – 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 Nantong. 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.