Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Quzhou

For one person, living is cheaper in Quzhou: $701 a month against $1,023 in Hangzhou, rent and utilities included – about $3,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

Hangzhou
🇨🇳 China
$1,023
/mo nomad
Quzhou
🇨🇳 China
$701
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Hangzhou and in Quzhou

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 Quzhou actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

A single person spends $1,023 per month in Hangzhou vs $701 in Quzhou, rent included.

  • Hangzhou $1,023
  • Quzhou $701

A couple spends around $1,574 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,153 in Quzhou, rent included.

  • Hangzhou $1,574
  • Quzhou $1,153

A family of three spends $2,125 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,606 in Quzhou, rent included.

  • Hangzhou $2,125
  • Quzhou $1,606

Hangzhou costs about 46% more than Quzhou, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in groceries.

Both Hangzhou and Quzhou are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 24% lower, Quzhou 48% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.82 ¥25.52
$2.77 ¥18.49
37.91%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$25.78 ¥172
$29.42 ¥197
-12.37%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.72 ¥31.55
$4.52 ¥30.24
4.42%
Cappuccino
$3.44 ¥23.02
$3.55 ¥23.73
-3.10%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.61 ¥4.07
$0.47 ¥3.16
29.79%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.33 ¥2.22
$0.29 ¥1.93
13.79%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.19 ¥7.93
$1.03 ¥6.89
15.53%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ¥15.11
$3.45 ¥23.10
-34.49%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.82 ¥12.20
$1.74 ¥11.61
4.60%
White Bread (500g)
$1.68 ¥11.22
$1.14 ¥7.62
47.37%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.10 ¥7.38
$0.70 ¥4.67
57.14%
Eggs
$2.08 ¥13.89
$1.65 ¥11.00
26.06%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$19.25 ¥129
$15.10 ¥101
27.48%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.77 ¥25.18
$3.66 ¥24.50
3.01%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.09 ¥67.5
$9.06 ¥60.6
11.37%
Apples (1kg)
$2.37 ¥15.84
$1.02 ¥6.84
132.35%
Banana (1kg)
$1.34 ¥8.97
$1.55 ¥10.37
-13.55%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ¥10.06
$1.49 ¥9.99
0.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.54 ¥10.27
$1.17 ¥7.85
31.62%
Potato (1kg)
$0.93 ¥6.20
$0.63 ¥4.18
47.62%
Onion (1kg)
$0.92 ¥6.17
$0.75 ¥5.03
22.67%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.68 ¥4.55
$0.70 ¥4.66
-2.86%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.57 ¥3.83
$0.58 ¥3.88
-1.72%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.20 ¥28.08
$4.61 ¥30.84
-8.89%
Wine (Bottle)
$13.70 ¥91.6
$8.06 ¥53.9
69.98%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥5.32
$0.81 ¥5.41
-1.23%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.72 ¥11.47
$1.43 ¥9.59
20.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.62 ¥4.16
$0.31 ¥2.09
100.00%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.96 ¥120
$18.24 ¥122
-1.54%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.93 ¥12.89
$1.74 ¥11.66
10.92%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.38 ¥2.56
$0.34 ¥2.29
11.76%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.96 ¥46.52
$7.04 ¥47.05
-1.14%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.37 ¥9.17
$1.31 ¥8.75
4.58%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.1K ¥127.9K
$19.5K ¥130.2K
-1.77%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$18.8K ¥125.9K
$17.8K ¥118.8K
5.94%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$47.48 ¥317
$51.8 ¥346
-8.38%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.02 ¥67.0
$6.59 ¥44.09
52.05%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$14.74 ¥98.6
$7.92 ¥53.0
86.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$51.0 ¥341
$40.84 ¥273
24.95%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$19.35 ¥129
$15.02 ¥100
28.83%
Cinema Ticket
$7.44 ¥49.77
$7.74 ¥51.7
-3.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$578 ¥3,863
$415 ¥2,773
39.30%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$36.1K ¥241.5K
$16.0K ¥106.9K
126.03%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$58.1 ¥388
$62.4 ¥417
-7.03%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.37 ¥283
$26.59 ¥178
59.35%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$86.5 ¥578
$61.6 ¥412
40.48%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$110 ¥736
$51.7 ¥346
112.85%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$623 ¥4,167
$302 ¥2,017
106.63%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$390 ¥2,605
$179 ¥1,199
117.32%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,199 ¥8,019
$618 ¥4,135
93.95%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$672 ¥4,495
$381 ¥2,548
76.45%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$7,857 ¥52.5K
$3,522 ¥23.6K
123.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$3,778 ¥25.3K
$1,905 ¥12.7K
98.33%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hangzhou
Quzhou
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,583 ¥10.6K
$713 ¥4,771
121.81%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.5
3.18
10.06%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: October 19, 2026

Last update for Quzhou: October 17, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
Hangzhou
$390
Quzhou
$179 54% $210
Groceries & Markets
Hangzhou
$237
Quzhou
$191 19.3% $46
Clothing & Footwear
Hangzhou
$134
Quzhou
$91 31.9% $43
Eating Out
Hangzhou
$100
Quzhou
$93 6.8% $6.8
Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hangzhou
$72
Quzhou
$66 8.2% $5.9
Sport & Entertainment
Hangzhou
$66
Quzhou
$56 14.6% $9.6
Getting Around
Hangzhou
$24
Quzhou
$23 5.6% $1.3

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $623 in Hangzhou versus $302 in Quzhou. 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 122% 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 $29.00 in Quzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Hangzhou vs $191 in Quzhou – so Quzhou wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

Good to know
🇨🇳 Hangzhou
🇨🇳 Quzhou
🕒 Local time
23:43 11:43 PM
23:43 11:43 PM
Same time as Hangzhou
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
10,360,000
2,122,661
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 25, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

On the map
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  • Hangzhou Quzhou 190 km
From you
  • Hangzhou
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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 Quzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Quzhou cheaper than Hangzhou?
Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 46%, 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 $1,535 per month in Hangzhou and $1,051 in Quzhou. 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 Quzhou, 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 Quzhou?
Groceries cost about 24% 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 Quzhou?
A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou and $29.00 in Quzhou. 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 Quzhou?
A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Quzhou, where all-in costs run around $701, than in Hangzhou at $1,023. In Quzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Is Hangzhou or Quzhou more family-friendly?
Families tend to lean toward Quzhou – 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 Quzhou. 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.

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