Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Wuxi Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Wuxi

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $912 per month in Hangzhou vs $740 in Wuxi, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,496 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,170 in Wuxi, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,079 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,600 in Wuxi, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 23% more than Wuxi, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hangzhou and Wuxi are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Wuxi 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.49 ¥23.92

$3.55 ¥24.32

-1.69%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.77 ¥183

$27.35 ¥187

-2.12%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.95 ¥33.91

$4.93 ¥33.77

0.41%

Cappuccino

$3.47 ¥23.78

$3.19 ¥21.86

8.78%

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

$0.48 ¥3.32

$0.47 ¥3.24

2.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.27 ¥1.83

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.44

$0.86 ¥5.92

26.74%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.20

$2.45 ¥16.81

-33.06%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.59

$1.84 ¥12.58

7.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.89 ¥12.92

$1.87 ¥12.79

1.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 ¥6.95

$1.02 ¥6.99

-0.98%

Eggs

$1.77 ¥12.15

$2.05 ¥14.05

-13.66%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.18 ¥118

$14.05 ¥96.3

22.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.70

$3.17 ¥21.72

-18.61%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.74 ¥66.7

$10.94 ¥74.9

-10.97%

Apples (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.53

$2.27 ¥15.56

-12.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.74 ¥11.94

$1.17 ¥8.01

48.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.59 ¥10.87

$1.61 ¥11.04

-1.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.57

$0.94 ¥6.47

32.98%

Potato (1kg)

$0.77 ¥5.25

$0.63 ¥4.28

22.22%

Onion (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.67

$0.73 ¥5.00

32.88%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.33

$0.65 ¥4.47

-3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.52 ¥3.57

$0.48 ¥3.29

8.33%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.30 ¥29.43

$4.74 ¥32.45

-9.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.38 ¥91.7

$10.27 ¥70.4

30.28%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥5.03

$0.66 ¥4.54

10.61%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.61

$1.92 ¥13.16

-11.46%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.50 ¥3.45

$0.29 ¥1.99

72.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.25 ¥104

$13.77 ¥94.3

10.75%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.85 ¥12.70

$1.43 ¥9.80

29.37%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.67

$0.43 ¥2.92

-9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.32 ¥43.27

$8.27 ¥56.7

-23.58%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.18 ¥8.06

$1.15 ¥7.91

2.61%

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

$19.6K ¥134.1K

$18.1K ¥123.7K

8.42%

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

$17.0K ¥116.5K

$20.1K ¥137.9K

-15.52%

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

$43.96 ¥301

$34.72 ¥238

26.61%

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

$11.44 ¥78.4

$16.95 ¥116

-32.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.67 ¥128

$25.42 ¥174

-26.55%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.1 ¥411

$51.8 ¥355

15.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.38 ¥112

$7.00 ¥47.97

134.00%

Cinema Ticket

$6.11 ¥41.84

$7.60 ¥52.1

-19.61%

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

$452 ¥3,095

$435 ¥2,977

3.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$29.2K ¥200.3K

$17.2K ¥118.1K

69.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.7 ¥388

$40.05 ¥274

41.57%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.21 ¥241

$26.77 ¥183

31.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.6 ¥491

$63.6 ¥435

12.69%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.5 ¥627

$38.22 ¥262

139.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$518 ¥3,550

$309 ¥2,117

67.65%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 ¥2,095

$209 ¥1,430

46.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,131 ¥7,746

$587 ¥4,024

92.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$668 ¥4,577

$372 ¥2,547

79.71%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$8,144 ¥55.8K

$3,829 ¥26.2K

112.70%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,907 ¥26.8K

$1,984 ¥13.6K

96.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,389 ¥9,512

$979 ¥6,704

41.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

4.02

-4.73%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: April 27, 2026

Last update for Wuxi: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $518 in Hangzhou versus $309 in Wuxi. 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 42% 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 $27.00 in Hangzhou versus $27.00 in Wuxi. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Hangzhou vs $209 in Wuxi – so Wuxi 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 Wuxi: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 23%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,368 per month in Hangzhou and $1,110 in Wuxi. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 7% 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 $27.00 in Hangzhou and $27.00 in Wuxi. 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 Wuxi, where all-in costs run around $740, than in Hangzhou at $912. In Wuxi it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wuxi – 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 Wuxi. 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.