Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Suzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Suzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $877 in Suzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,471 in Suzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,091 per month in Hangzhou vs $2,065 in Suzhou, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 16% more than Suzhou, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both Hangzhou and Suzhou are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 26% lower, Suzhou 36% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.49

$4.06 ¥27.18

-6.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$29.66 ¥199

-12.88%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.28

$5.25 ¥35.20

-2.48%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥22.98

$3.30 ¥22.12

3.94%

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

$0.60 ¥4.00

$0.68 ¥4.59

-11.76%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.41 ¥2.78

-24.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$2.21 ¥14.82

-34.39%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.72

$4.39 ¥29.40

-49.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.11

$1.99 ¥13.31

-1.51%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.14

$2.03 ¥13.61

-18.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$1.29 ¥8.64

-12.40%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.48

$1.76 ¥11.82

22.73%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$17.56 ¥118

8.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.65

$3.49 ¥23.37

5.44%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥68.9

$8.35 ¥55.9

23.11%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.92

$2.00 ¥13.43

11.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.98

$1.24 ¥8.28

8.06%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.77

$1.39 ¥9.32

15.83%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.01

$1.43 ¥9.57

4.20%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.26

$0.63 ¥4.21

47.62%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.62

$1.13 ¥7.55

-12.39%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.84 ¥5.62

-26.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.60 ¥3.99

-1.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.77

$4.55 ¥30.51

-12.31%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.2

$8.79 ¥58.9

51.42%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.34

$1.09 ¥7.28

-26.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.17

$2.14 ¥14.35

-21.96%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.85

$0.35 ¥2.37

65.71%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$44.80 ¥300

-60.65%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.67

$1.69 ¥11.34

11.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.36 ¥2.39

8.33%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.48

$9.88 ¥66.2

-31.28%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.77

$1.26 ¥8.43

3.97%

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

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$19.6K ¥131.1K

-0.16%

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

$18.2K ¥121.8K

$18.2K ¥122.2K

-0.32%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$102 ¥680

-50.60%

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

$10.55 ¥70.7

$13.18 ¥88.3

-19.95%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.8

$10.93 ¥73.3

36.23%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$33.49 ¥224

53.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$18.75 ¥126

5.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥49.93

$5.78 ¥38.75

28.89%

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

$566 ¥3,791

$1,217 ¥8,156

-53.52%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥238.9K

$21.4K ¥143.5K

66.44%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥391

$51.9 ¥348

12.38%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$41.54 ¥278

0.12%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥567

$82.3 ¥551

2.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥723

$85.7 ¥574

25.78%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,166

$446 ¥2,990

39.36%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,631

$189 ¥1,266

107.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,877

$1,037 ¥6,948

13.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,364

$597 ¥4,000

9.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$5,446 ¥36.5K

42.43%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.4K

$2,713 ¥18.2K

34.35%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,896

$1,357 ¥9,097

8.78%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.53

-0.85%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Suzhou: August 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $622 in Hangzhou versus $446 in Suzhou. 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 9% 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 $30.00 in Suzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $237 in Hangzhou vs $220 in Suzhou – so Suzhou 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 Suzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 16%, and the gap shows up most in Getting Around. 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 $1,315 in Suzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $30.00 in Suzhou. 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 Suzhou, where all-in costs run around $877, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Suzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Suzhou – 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 Suzhou. 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.