Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shkoder Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Shkoder

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Hangzhou vs $922 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,353 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,784 in Shkoder, rent included.

Hangzhou is about 2% cheaper than Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Shkoder are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Shkoder 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.68

$6.04 ALL 496

-42.05%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$32.04 ALL 2,627

-18.16%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.24

$4.61 ALL 378

6.51%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.97

$1.79 ALL 147

89.39%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$1.57 ALL 129

-69.43%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.80 ALL 65.7

-63.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$2.43 ALL 199

-54.73%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$3.18 ALL 260

-48.74%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.42

$2.06 ALL 169

-3.88%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$0.93 ALL 75.9

111.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$2.01 ALL 165

-50.75%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.27

$2.91 ALL 239

-37.80%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$6.87 ALL 563

144.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.48

$4.89 ALL 401

-47.24%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$10.35 ALL 849

-6.96%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$1.52 ALL 125

34.21%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$2.34 ALL 192

-23.50%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$1.66 ALL 136

-3.61%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.34 ALL 110

-10.45%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.98 ALL 80.7

-26.53%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$1.17 ALL 95.8

-14.53%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$1.09 ALL 89.6

-42.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.69 ALL 56.9

-23.19%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.90

$4.13 ALL 338

3.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.8

$6.22 ALL 510

118.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$1.46 ALL 120

-52.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.48

$1.67 ALL 137

1.80%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.45 ALL 36.87

13.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$11.61 ALL 952

29.46%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$3.60 ALL 295

-50.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$3.07 ALL 252

-86.32%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.65

$17.92 ALL 1,470

-64.01%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$2.19 ALL 180

-47.95%

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

$19.5K ¥131.7K

$34.6K ALL 2.8M

-43.75%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$24.9K ALL 2.0M

-32.66%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$67.9 ALL 5,570

-33.36%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$16.90 ALL 1,386

-33.25%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$16.11 ALL 1,321

14.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$40.50 ALL 3,321

48.25%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$11.69 ALL 958

35.67%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.48

$7.20 ALL 590

-10.83%

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

$456 ¥3,086

$89.0 ALL 7,296

412.46%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.1K

$1,796 ALL 147.3K

1488.76%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$47.65 ALL 3,907

17.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$11.91 ALL 977

193.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$72.0 ALL 5,901

0.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$142 ALL 11.6K

-34.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,543

$310 ALL 25.4K

69.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,037

$300 ALL 24.6K

0.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,565

$353 ALL 28.9K

216.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,636

$347 ALL 28.4K

97.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$1,819 ALL 149.1K

327.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$1,231 ALL 101.0K

205.72%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,952

$571 ALL 46.9K

157.31%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

-23.40%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Hangzhou versus $310 in Shkoder. 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 157% higher in Hangzhou, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou versus $32.00 in Shkoder. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Hangzhou vs $202 in Shkoder – so Shkoder wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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 Shkoder: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shkoder is pricier by about 2%, 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 $1,362 per month in Hangzhou and $1,383 in Shkoder. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Interestingly, groceries are about 11% cheaper in Shkoder – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou and $32.00 in Shkoder. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Hangzhou, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Shkoder at $922. In Hangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shkoder it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hangzhou – 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 Hangzhou. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shkoder makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.