Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Rui'an Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Rui'an

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $710 in Rui'an, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,118 in Rui'an, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,091 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,527 in Rui'an, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 43% more than Rui'an, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Rui'an are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 26% lower, Rui'an 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$2.76 ¥18.50

37.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$21.40 ¥144

20.75%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.33

$4.79 ¥32.11

6.89%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥23.01

$2.97 ¥19.92

15.49%

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

$0.60 ¥4.01

$0.43 ¥2.90

39.53%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.29 ¥1.97

6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$0.94 ¥6.28

54.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.74

$2.13 ¥14.27

3.29%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.86 ¥12.49

5.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$1.56 ¥10.44

6.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.97 ¥6.51

16.49%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.59 ¥10.65

35.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$12.62 ¥84.7

50.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.68

$3.24 ¥21.73

13.58%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥69.0

$10.24 ¥68.7

0.39%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$1.79 ¥12.03

24.58%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.99

$1.26 ¥8.45

6.35%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$1.49 ¥10.01

8.05%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.02

$1.11 ¥7.44

34.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.73 ¥4.91

27.40%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.97 ¥6.50

2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.60 ¥4.04

3.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.51 ¥3.45

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.80

$3.16 ¥21.21

26.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.3

$10.43 ¥70.0

27.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.35

$0.79 ¥5.30

1.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.18

$1.60 ¥10.74

4.37%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.27 ¥1.79

114.81%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$16.56 ¥111

6.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.41 ¥9.44

34.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$0.35 ¥2.37

11.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.54

$6.52 ¥43.76

4.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.14 ¥7.65

14.91%

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

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$19.5K ¥130.9K

0.07%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$17.3K ¥115.8K

5.34%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$45.09 ¥303

11.20%

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

$10.55 ¥70.8

$9.88 ¥66.3

6.78%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.9

$11.52 ¥77.3

29.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$41.09 ¥276

25.50%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$13.78 ¥92.4

44.19%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥50.0

$5.87 ¥39.38

26.92%

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

$566 ¥3,796

$335 ¥2,249

68.79%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥239.2K

$17.1K ¥114.6K

108.68%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥392

$43.52 ¥292

34.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$30.07 ¥202

38.31%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥568

$72.0 ¥483

17.61%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥724

$73.3 ¥492

47.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,171

$283 ¥1,895

120.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,634

$192 ¥1,286

104.85%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,887

$582 ¥3,907

101.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,369

$360 ¥2,416

80.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$3,078 ¥20.7K

152.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.5K

$2,017 ¥13.5K

80.74%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,908

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.89

-10.03%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Rui'an: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $622 in Hangzhou versus $283 in Rui'an. 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 $21.00 in Rui'an. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $198 – making Rui'an 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 Rui'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 43%, 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 $1,523 per month in Hangzhou and $1,064 in Rui'an. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $21.00 in Rui'an. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Rui'an, where all-in costs run around $710, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Rui'an it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Rui'an – 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 Rui'an. 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.