Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Yiwu Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Yiwu

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Hangzhou vs $718 in Yiwu, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,344 in Yiwu, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,969 in Yiwu, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 26% more than Yiwu, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hangzhou and Yiwu are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Yiwu 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.68

$2.72 ¥18.39

28.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$36.17 ¥245

-27.51%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.24

$5.48 ¥37.07

-10.40%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.97

$3.55 ¥24.06

-4.51%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.55 ¥3.71

-12.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.30 ¥2.00

-3.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$1.42 ¥9.58

-22.54%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$2.74 ¥18.51

-40.51%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.42

$1.78 ¥12.03

11.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$1.79 ¥12.15

10.06%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$0.85 ¥5.73

16.47%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.60 ¥10.85

13.12%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$15.31 ¥104

9.73%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.48

$3.12 ¥21.15

-17.31%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$10.57 ¥71.5

-8.89%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$1.70 ¥11.54

20.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.43 ¥9.68

25.17%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$1.41 ¥9.52

13.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.13 ¥7.67

6.19%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.51 ¥3.44

41.18%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$0.82 ¥5.54

21.95%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.15 ¥1.04

320.00%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.60 ¥4.03

-11.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.90

$2.77 ¥18.75

54.15%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.8

$11.98 ¥81.1

13.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.40 ¥2.74

72.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.48

$1.07 ¥7.23

58.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.40 ¥2.73

27.50%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$16.96 ¥115

-11.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$1.13 ¥7.65

56.64%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.23 ¥1.56

82.61%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.65

$8.30 ¥56.2

-22.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.15 ¥7.75

-0.87%

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

$19.5K ¥131.7K

$19.6K ¥132.7K

-0.73%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$17.7K ¥120.1K

-5.57%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$51.7 ¥350

-12.49%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$8.78 ¥59.4

28.47%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$13.47 ¥91.2

36.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$14.17 ¥95.9

323.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$10.60 ¥71.8

49.62%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.48

$6.49 ¥43.92

-1.08%

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

$456 ¥3,086

$339 ¥2,293

34.60%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.1K

$31.7K ¥214.7K

-10.05%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$55.0 ¥372

2.14%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$34.40 ¥233

1.63%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$76.3 ¥516

-5.48%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$70.4 ¥476

32.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,543

$424 ¥2,868

23.56%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,037

$185 ¥1,253

62.60%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,565

$990 ¥6,698

12.94%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,636

$688 ¥4,656

-0.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$3,197 ¥21.6K

142.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$2,894 ¥19.6K

30.10%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,952

$591 ¥4,002

148.71%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.58

6.98%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Yiwu: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Hangzhou versus $424 in Yiwu. 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 149% 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 $36.00 in Yiwu. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Hangzhou vs $206 in Yiwu – so Yiwu 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 Yiwu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 26%, and the gap shows up most in Sport & Entertainment. 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 $1,078 in Yiwu. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Yiwu, 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 $36.00 in Yiwu. 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 Yiwu, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Hangzhou at $908. In Yiwu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yiwu – 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 Yiwu. 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.