Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shaoxing Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shaoxing

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Hangzhou vs $676 in Shaoxing, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,078 in Shaoxing, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,480 in Shaoxing, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 32% more than Shaoxing, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Shaoxing are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 33% lower, Shaoxing 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ¥23.44

$2.83 ¥19.13

22.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.12 ¥177

$21.26 ¥144

22.86%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.61

$4.29 ¥29.00

12.59%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.07

$2.81 ¥18.98

26.69%

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

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.44 ¥2.97

15.91%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.26 ¥1.77

11.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$0.68 ¥4.61

58.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.47

$1.65 ¥11.17

3.03%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ¥13.66

$2.26 ¥15.27

-10.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 ¥12.91

$2.12 ¥14.33

-9.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.42

$0.77 ¥5.17

23.38%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.58

$1.53 ¥10.34

11.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 ¥117

$7.71 ¥52.1

124.25%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 ¥17.56

$2.82 ¥19.04

-7.80%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ¥66.7

$8.96 ¥60.5

10.16%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$1.89 ¥12.76

4.23%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.61

$1.38 ¥9.36

24.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.72

$1.59 ¥10.77

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.17 ¥7.90

2.56%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.92

$0.94 ¥6.33

-22.34%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.69

$0.97 ¥6.54

2.06%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.50

$0.76 ¥5.16

-11.84%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ¥3.29

$0.61 ¥4.13

-19.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥28.12

$3.43 ¥23.18

21.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$10.21 ¥69.0

30.26%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.74 ¥5.02

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.37

$1.49 ¥10.08

12.75%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.46

$0.27 ¥1.81

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ¥105

$16.86 ¥114

-7.95%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.44

$1.52 ¥10.25

21.05%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.66

$0.39 ¥2.61

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ¥41.69

$8.42 ¥56.9

-26.72%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.84

$1.18 ¥7.95

-1.69%

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

$19.5K ¥131.8K

$17.3K ¥117.2K

12.43%

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

$16.8K ¥113.7K

$14.2K ¥96.3K

18.08%

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

$43.61 ¥295

$42.53 ¥287

2.54%

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

$11.46 ¥77.5

$10.97 ¥74.1

4.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.09 ¥122

$10.95 ¥74.0

65.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 ¥395

$41.03 ¥277

42.63%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.25 ¥110

$14.12 ¥95.4

15.08%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ¥41.79

$5.64 ¥38.13

9.57%

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

$453 ¥3,059

$407 ¥2,753

11.11%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K ¥194.3K

$18.5K ¥124.8K

55.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 ¥387

$42.88 ¥290

33.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 ¥239

$30.15 ¥204

17.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ¥476

$69.5 ¥469

1.34%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥625

$65.5 ¥442

41.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ¥3,453

$277 ¥1,871

84.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ¥2,022

$187 ¥1,267

59.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 ¥7,814

$602 ¥4,069

92.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ¥4,552

$364 ¥2,460

85.05%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,615 ¥51.5K

$3,105 ¥21.0K

145.28%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,739 ¥25.3K

$1,850 ¥12.5K

102.07%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,418 ¥9,579

$916 ¥6,191

54.72%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shaoxing: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Hangzhou versus $277 in Shaoxing. 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 55% 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 $21.00 in Shaoxing. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $189 – making Shaoxing 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 Shaoxing: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 32%, 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 $1,342 per month in Hangzhou and $1,014 in Shaoxing. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 18% 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 Shaoxing. 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 Shaoxing, where all-in costs run around $676, than in Hangzhou at $894. In Shaoxing it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shaoxing – 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 Shaoxing. 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.