Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shijiazhuang Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shijiazhuang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $677 in Shijiazhuang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,023 in Shijiazhuang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,091 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,369 in Shijiazhuang, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 50% more than Shijiazhuang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Shijiazhuang are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 26% lower, Shijiazhuang 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$1.74 ¥11.67

118.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$18.51 ¥124

39.60%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.33

$5.48 ¥36.77

-6.57%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥23.01

$3.22 ¥21.63

6.52%

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

$0.60 ¥4.01

$0.47 ¥3.12

27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.25 ¥1.66

24.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$0.83 ¥5.60

74.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.74

$1.67 ¥11.19

31.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$1.28 ¥8.56

53.12%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$1.13 ¥7.58

46.90%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.72 ¥4.85

56.94%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.23 ¥8.22

75.61%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$16.15 ¥108

17.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.68

$2.66 ¥17.86

38.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥69.0

$9.41 ¥63.2

9.25%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$1.62 ¥10.84

37.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.99

$1.16 ¥7.81

15.52%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$0.76 ¥5.08

111.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.02

$1.21 ¥8.11

23.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.60 ¥4.05

55.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.61 ¥4.10

62.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.61 ¥4.09

1.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.43 ¥2.91

37.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.80

$3.63 ¥24.32

9.92%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.3

$3.74 ¥25.10

255.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.35

$0.78 ¥5.20

2.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.18

$0.76 ¥5.12

119.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.31 ¥2.08

87.10%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$17.86 ¥120

-1.29%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.17 ¥7.87

61.54%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$0.38 ¥2.52

2.63%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.54

$3.48 ¥23.33

95.11%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.23 ¥8.23

6.50%

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

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$18.9K ¥127.0K

3.16%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$16.9K ¥113.3K

7.69%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$94.5 ¥634

-46.95%

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

$10.55 ¥70.8

$4.20 ¥28.15

151.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.9

$6.77 ¥45.41

119.94%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$13.45 ¥90.3

283.42%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$14.65 ¥98.3

35.63%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥50.0

$5.52 ¥37.03

34.96%

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

$566 ¥3,796

$371 ¥2,492

52.30%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥239.2K

$5,269 ¥35.4K

576.47%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥392

$49.12 ¥330

18.81%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$25.91 ¥174

60.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥568

$73.2 ¥491

15.57%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥724

$54.1 ¥363

99.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,171

$285 ¥1,914

117.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,634

$184 ¥1,235

113.35%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,887

$411 ¥2,757

186.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,369

$278 ¥1,866

134.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$2,452 ¥16.5K

216.36%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.5K

$1,699 ¥11.4K

114.60%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,908

$823 ¥5,520

79.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.31

5.74%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Shijiazhuang: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $622 in Hangzhou versus $285 in Shijiazhuang. 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 80% 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 $19.00 in Shijiazhuang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $170 – making Shijiazhuang 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 Shijiazhuang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 50%, 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 $1,015 in Shijiazhuang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 40% 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 $19.00 in Shijiazhuang. 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 Shijiazhuang, where all-in costs run around $677, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Shijiazhuang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Shijiazhuang – 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 Shijiazhuang. 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.