Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Taiyuan Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Taiyuan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $894 per month in Hangzhou vs $610 in Taiyuan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,466 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,009 in Taiyuan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,037 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,407 in Taiyuan, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 47% more than Taiyuan, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Hangzhou and Taiyuan are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 33% lower, Taiyuan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.47 ¥23.48

$2.14 ¥14.50

62.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.12 ¥177

$21.30 ¥144

22.63%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$4.27 ¥28.86

13.11%

Cappuccino

$3.56 ¥24.11

$2.35 ¥15.87

51.49%

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

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.51 ¥3.44

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.30 ¥2.00

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.34

$1.23 ¥8.29

-12.20%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.49

$2.04 ¥13.81

-16.67%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.02 ¥13.68

$1.35 ¥9.14

49.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.91 ¥12.93

$2.74 ¥18.55

-30.29%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.43

$0.75 ¥5.08

26.67%

Eggs

$1.71 ¥11.59

$0.89 ¥6.02

92.13%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.29 ¥117

$14.16 ¥95.8

22.10%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.60 ¥17.58

$2.84 ¥19.25

-8.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.87 ¥66.8

$10.80 ¥73.1

-8.61%

Apples (1kg)

$1.97 ¥13.34

$2.03 ¥13.75

-2.96%

Banana (1kg)

$1.72 ¥11.62

$1.33 ¥9.03

29.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.73

$0.75 ¥5.08

112.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.13

$1.09 ¥7.41

10.09%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.93

$0.49 ¥3.30

48.98%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.70

$0.41 ¥2.75

141.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.67 ¥4.50

$0.40 ¥2.73

67.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ¥3.30

$0.44 ¥2.97

11.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.16 ¥28.16

$2.03 ¥13.73

104.93%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.30 ¥90.0

$7.45 ¥50.4

78.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.99

$0.73 ¥4.96

1.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.39

$1.35 ¥9.14

24.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.47

$0.27 ¥1.82

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.52 ¥105

$12.68 ¥85.8

22.40%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.84 ¥12.46

$1.13 ¥7.67

62.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.66

$0.21 ¥1.42

85.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.17 ¥41.76

$3.57 ¥24.13

72.83%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.85

$1.10 ¥7.45

5.45%

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

$19.5K ¥132.0K

$23.1K ¥156.6K

-15.71%

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

$16.8K ¥113.9K

$20.0K ¥135.0K

-15.68%

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

$43.61 ¥295

$69.1 ¥468

-36.90%

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

$11.46 ¥77.6

$9.42 ¥63.7

21.66%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.09 ¥122

$11.86 ¥80.3

52.53%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$58.5 ¥396

$41.69 ¥282

40.37%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.25 ¥110

$8.27 ¥56.0

96.49%

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ¥41.85

$5.71 ¥38.62

8.23%

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

$453 ¥3,063

$419 ¥2,839

7.90%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.7K ¥194.6K

$4,243 ¥28.7K

577.59%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.2 ¥387

$24.22 ¥164

136.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.35 ¥239

$49.52 ¥335

-28.61%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.4 ¥476

$70.0 ¥474

0.51%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$92.6 ¥626

$66.2 ¥448

39.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$511 ¥3,459

$207 ¥1,402

146.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$299 ¥2,025

$106 ¥719

181.79%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,156 ¥7,826

$518 ¥3,503

123.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$674 ¥4,559

$240 ¥1,621

181.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,615 ¥51.5K

$2,639 ¥17.9K

188.61%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,739 ¥25.3K

$1,221 ¥8,265

206.18%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,418 ¥9,593

$926 ¥6,265

53.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

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

Last update for Hangzhou: July 13, 2026

Last update for Taiyuan: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $511 in Hangzhou versus $207 in Taiyuan. 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 53% 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 $21.00 in Taiyuan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $223 vs $194 – making Taiyuan 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 Taiyuan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 47%, 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 $915 in Taiyuan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 15% 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 $21.00 in Taiyuan. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Taiyuan, where all-in costs run around $610, than in Hangzhou at $894. In Taiyuan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Taiyuan – 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 Taiyuan. 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.