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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Hangzhou vs $971 in Suzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,597 in Suzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Hangzhou vs $2,223 in Suzhou, rent included.

Hangzhou is about 6% cheaper than Suzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Hangzhou and Suzhou are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Suzhou 28% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.68

$4.23 ¥28.62

-17.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$41.28 ¥279

-36.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.24

$5.71 ¥38.65

-14.01%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.97

$3.93 ¥26.57

-13.74%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$1.66 ¥11.23

-71.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.74 ¥4.98

-60.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$4.26 ¥28.85

-74.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$5.70 ¥38.56

-71.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.42

$2.43 ¥16.46

-18.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$2.50 ¥16.95

-21.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$1.15 ¥7.81

-13.91%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.98 ¥13.38

-8.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$20.82 ¥141

-19.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.48

$3.71 ¥25.11

-30.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$7.76 ¥52.5

24.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$2.14 ¥14.50

-4.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.63 ¥11.03

9.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$1.58 ¥10.70

1.27%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.36 ¥9.23

-11.76%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.69 ¥4.64

4.35%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$1.18 ¥7.96

-15.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.99 ¥6.69

-36.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.50 ¥3.39

6.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.90

$4.20 ¥28.41

1.67%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.8

$10.30 ¥69.7

31.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.93 ¥6.29

-25.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.48

$2.78 ¥18.83

-38.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.29 ¥1.97

75.86%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$41.59 ¥282

-63.86%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$1.76 ¥11.92

0.57%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.35 ¥2.37

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.65

$8.46 ¥57.3

-23.76%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.18 ¥8.00

-3.39%

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

$19.5K ¥131.7K

$21.2K ¥143.3K

-8.10%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$23.3K ¥157.9K

-28.21%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$117 ¥794

-61.42%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$14.88 ¥101

-24.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$11.54 ¥78.1

59.62%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$63.8 ¥432

-5.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$19.08 ¥129

-16.88%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.48

$6.88 ¥46.54

-6.69%

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

$456 ¥3,086

$787 ¥5,330

-42.10%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.1K

$16.8K ¥113.5K

70.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$54.1 ¥366

4.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$35.30 ¥239

-0.96%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

0.08%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$93.1 ¥630

0.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,543

$408 ¥2,761

28.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,037

$204 ¥1,380

47.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,565

$971 ¥6,573

15.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,636

$528 ¥3,576

29.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$5,287 ¥35.8K

46.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$2,783 ¥18.8K

35.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,952

$1,339 ¥9,064

9.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.86

-0.78%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Suzhou: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Hangzhou versus $408 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 10% 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 $41.00 in Suzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $245 – making Hangzhou 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 Suzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Suzhou is pricier by about 7%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. 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 $1,456 in Suzhou. 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.

Groceries cost about 10% more in Suzhou, 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 $41.00 in Suzhou. 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 Suzhou at $971. In Hangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suzhou 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, Suzhou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.