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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Hangzhou vs $927 in Shkoder, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,350 in Shkoder, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,772 in Shkoder, rent included.

Hangzhou is about 4% cheaper than Shkoder, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Shkoder are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 33% lower, Shkoder 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ¥23.48

$5.95 ALL 486

-41.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.12 ¥177

$32.15 ALL 2,621

-18.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$4.84 ALL 395

-0.21%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.11

$1.81 ALL 148

96.69%

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

$0.51 ¥3.45

$1.60 ALL 130

-68.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.82 ALL 66.5

-64.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.34

$2.31 ALL 189

-53.25%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.49

$3.36 ALL 274

-49.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ¥13.68

$2.06 ALL 168

-1.94%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 ¥12.93

$0.87 ALL 71.2

119.54%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.43

$1.95 ALL 159

-51.28%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.59

$2.94 ALL 239

-41.84%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 ¥117

$6.87 ALL 560

151.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 ¥17.58

$4.99 ALL 407

-47.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ¥66.8

$10.33 ALL 842

-4.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.34

$1.52 ALL 124

29.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.62

$2.37 ALL 193

-27.43%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.73

$1.74 ALL 142

-8.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.13

$1.38 ALL 112

-13.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.93

$1.01 ALL 82.5

-27.72%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.70

$1.21 ALL 98.7

-18.18%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.50

$1.11 ALL 90.2

-39.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ¥3.30

$0.74 ALL 60.2

-33.78%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥28.16

$4.09 ALL 334

1.71%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 ¥90.0

$6.02 ALL 491

120.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.99

$1.44 ALL 118

-48.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.39

$1.72 ALL 141

-2.33%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.47

$0.49 ALL 39.85

4.08%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ¥105

$11.40 ALL 930

36.14%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$3.46 ALL 282

-46.82%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.66

$3.12 ALL 255

-87.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ¥41.76

$17.64 ALL 1,439

-65.02%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.85

$2.10 ALL 171

-44.76%

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

$19.5K ¥132.0K

$35.2K ALL 2.9M

-44.54%

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

$16.8K ¥113.9K

$25.0K ALL 2.0M

-32.60%

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

$43.61 ¥295

$66.9 ALL 5,454

-34.79%

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

$11.46 ¥77.6

$16.83 ALL 1,373

-31.91%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.09 ¥122

$16.08 ALL 1,311

12.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 ¥396

$41.52 ALL 3,386

40.94%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.25 ¥110

$11.87 ALL 968

36.90%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ¥41.85

$7.02 ALL 573

-11.97%

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

$453 ¥3,063

$87.5 ALL 7,137

417.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K ¥194.6K

$1,756 ALL 143.2K

1537.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 ¥387

$46.51 ALL 3,793

23.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 ¥239

$11.56 ALL 943

205.80%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ¥476

$69.6 ALL 5,672

1.22%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥626

$142 ALL 11.6K

-34.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ¥3,459

$306 ALL 24.9K

67.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ¥2,025

$298 ALL 24.3K

0.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 ¥7,826

$357 ALL 29.1K

223.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ¥4,559

$339 ALL 27.6K

98.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,615 ¥51.5K

$1,825 ALL 148.9K

317.19%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,739 ¥25.3K

$1,223 ALL 99.7K

205.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,418 ¥9,593

$572 ALL 46.7K

147.72%

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: July 13, 2026

Last update for Shkoder: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Hangzhou versus $306 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 148% 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 $203 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 4%, 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 $1,391 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 10% 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 $894, than in Shkoder at $927. 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.