Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $918 per month in Hangzhou vs $664 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,478 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,080 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,038 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,495 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 38% more than Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 51% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ¥23.14

$2.75 ¥18.59

24.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.18 ¥177

$22.67 ¥153

15.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.97 ¥33.62

$4.77 ¥32.26

4.19%

Cappuccino

$3.51 ¥23.77

$3.01 ¥20.34

16.61%

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

$0.48 ¥3.25

$0.41 ¥2.80

17.07%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.26 ¥1.76

3.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.12 ¥7.58

$0.80 ¥5.43

40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.19

$1.42 ¥9.58

16.20%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.00 ¥13.51

$2.29 ¥15.52

-12.66%

White Bread (500g)

$1.90 ¥12.82

$1.08 ¥7.28

75.93%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.80

$0.76 ¥5.17

32.89%

Eggs

$1.78 ¥12.02

$1.54 ¥10.42

15.58%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.02 ¥115

$9.34 ¥63.2

82.23%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.71 ¥18.30

$2.77 ¥18.70

-2.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.89 ¥66.9

$5.61 ¥37.90

76.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.96 ¥13.23

$2.14 ¥14.47

-8.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.65

$1.41 ¥9.54

21.99%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.87

$1.57 ¥10.64

2.55%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.57

$1.17 ¥7.90

8.55%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.86

$0.86 ¥5.79

-16.28%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.58

$0.80 ¥5.41

21.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.64 ¥4.33

$0.88 ¥5.94

-27.27%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.38

$0.60 ¥4.09

-16.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.14 ¥27.98

$3.26 ¥22.06

26.99%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.43 ¥90.8

$13.54 ¥91.6

-0.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.75 ¥5.06

$0.86 ¥5.80

-12.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.50

$1.42 ¥9.61

19.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.27 ¥1.82

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.62 ¥106

$16.69 ¥113

-6.41%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.86 ¥12.61

$1.57 ¥10.65

18.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.70

$0.36 ¥2.40

11.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.24 ¥42.21

$8.35 ¥56.4

-25.27%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.87

$1.10 ¥7.42

5.45%

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

$19.7K ¥133.5K

$16.5K ¥111.6K

19.66%

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

$16.7K ¥113.1K

$14.6K ¥98.9K

14.32%

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

$44.39 ¥300

$17.72 ¥120

150.51%

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

$11.29 ¥76.4

$10.84 ¥73.3

4.15%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.20 ¥123

$11.20 ¥75.7

62.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.5 ¥409

$54.7 ¥370

10.55%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.89 ¥107

$13.85 ¥93.7

14.73%

Cinema Ticket

$6.45 ¥43.63

$5.49 ¥37.15

17.49%

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

$447 ¥3,023

$280 ¥1,892

59.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.0K ¥195.8K

$16.7K ¥112.6K

73.86%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.2 ¥394

$42.18 ¥285

38.03%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.95 ¥236

$33.26 ¥225

5.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ¥481

$54.8 ¥371

29.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.0 ¥615

$56.6 ¥383

60.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$509 ¥3,443

$274 ¥1,850

86.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥2,091

$184 ¥1,245

67.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,142 ¥7,719

$598 ¥4,042

90.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$672 ¥4,541

$362 ¥2,448

85.49%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,710 ¥52.1K

$2,958 ¥20.0K

160.68%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,891 ¥26.3K

$1,789 ¥12.1K

117.51%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,480 ¥10.0K

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.87

-1.03%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 8, 2026

Last update for Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $509 in Hangzhou versus $274 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou versus $23.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $224 vs $182 – making Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 38%, 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 $1,377 per month in Hangzhou and $996 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 23% 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 $23.00 in Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu, where all-in costs run around $664, than in Hangzhou at $918. In Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu – 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 Taicang, Suzhou, Jiangsu. 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.