Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shantou Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shantou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Hangzhou vs $705 in Shantou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,103 in Shantou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,500 in Shantou, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 27% more than Shantou, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hangzhou and Shantou are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 33% lower, Shantou 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ¥23.44

$2.03 ¥13.71

70.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.12 ¥177

$16.87 ¥114

54.83%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.61

$4.97 ¥33.57

-2.82%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.07

$3.24 ¥21.92

9.88%

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

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.47 ¥3.20

8.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.30 ¥2.05

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$0.80 ¥5.42

35.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.47

$2.67 ¥18.07

-36.33%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ¥13.66

$1.69 ¥11.39

19.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 ¥12.91

$1.37 ¥9.26

39.42%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$0.71 ¥4.82

33.80%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.58

$1.86 ¥12.58

-8.06%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 ¥117

$12.66 ¥85.5

36.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 ¥17.56

$3.76 ¥25.40

-30.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ¥66.7

$12.25 ¥82.8

-19.43%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$1.88 ¥12.72

4.79%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.43 ¥9.66

20.28%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.72

$1.68 ¥11.34

-5.36%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.28 ¥8.62

-6.25%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$0.78 ¥5.27

-6.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.69

$0.95 ¥6.42

4.21%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.50

$0.68 ¥4.58

-1.47%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ¥3.29

$0.43 ¥2.91

13.95%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥28.12

$3.39 ¥22.89

22.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$12.39 ¥83.7

7.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.83 ¥5.62

-10.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.37

$1.82 ¥12.33

-7.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.46

$0.36 ¥2.46

41.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ¥105

$22.01 ¥149

-29.49%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.44

$1.54 ¥10.41

19.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.66

$0.36 ¥2.41

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ¥41.69

$6.69 ¥45.24

-7.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.84

$1.14 ¥7.71

1.75%

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$21.1K ¥142.7K

-7.65%

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

$16.8K ¥113.7K

$19.5K ¥131.5K

-13.52%

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

$43.61 ¥295

$53.3 ¥360

-18.13%

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

$11.46 ¥77.5

$8.53 ¥57.6

34.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.09 ¥122

$12.89 ¥87.1

40.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 ¥395

$41.05 ¥277

42.56%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.25 ¥110

$14.13 ¥95.5

15.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ¥41.79

$6.78 ¥45.85

-8.85%

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

$453 ¥3,059

$450 ¥3,038

0.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K ¥194.3K

$20.2K ¥136.5K

42.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 ¥387

$49.29 ¥333

16.07%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 ¥239

$29.86 ¥202

18.39%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ¥476

$75.6 ¥511

-6.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥625

$77.8 ¥526

18.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ¥3,453

$280 ¥1,894

82.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ¥2,022

$139 ¥937

115.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 ¥7,814

$567 ¥3,829

104.05%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ¥4,552

$281 ¥1,901

139.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,615 ¥51.5K

$2,249 ¥15.2K

238.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,739 ¥25.3K

$4,385 ¥29.6K

-14.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,418 ¥9,579

$1,037 ¥7,009

36.66%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

4.04

-5.20%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shantou: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Hangzhou versus $280 in Shantou. 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 37% 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 $17.00 in Shantou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $210 – making Shantou 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 Shantou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 27%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,342 per month in Hangzhou and $1,057 in Shantou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 6% 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 $17.00 in Shantou. 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 Shantou, where all-in costs run around $705, than in Hangzhou at $894. In Shantou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shantou – 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 Shantou. 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.