Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Yulin Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Yulin

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $724 in Yulin, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,544 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,139 in Yulin, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,072 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,554 in Yulin, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 40% more than Yulin, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hangzhou and Yulin are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 26% lower, Yulin 47% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ¥24.62

$2.28 ¥15.25

61.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 ¥177

$16.12 ¥108

63.52%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 ¥31.06

$4.89 ¥32.78

-5.11%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ¥23.20

$2.10 ¥14.08

64.76%

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

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.44 ¥2.92

36.36%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.07

$0.26 ¥1.74

19.23%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ¥10.07

$1.59 ¥10.67

-5.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ¥15.34

$2.19 ¥14.67

4.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.54

$1.81 ¥12.14

3.31%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.37

$1.73 ¥11.58

-1.73%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.11

$1.11 ¥7.40

-4.50%

Eggs

$2.12 ¥14.20

$1.49 ¥10.01

42.28%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.41 ¥130

$13.52 ¥90.6

43.57%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ¥25.52

$3.11 ¥20.82

22.51%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ¥68.6

$12.39 ¥83.0

-17.35%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ¥15.24

$1.63 ¥10.93

39.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ¥8.83

$1.25 ¥8.40

5.60%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.20

$1.50 ¥10.04

1.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.02

$1.23 ¥8.27

21.95%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.92

$0.79 ¥5.31

11.39%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.86 ¥5.76

15.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.22

$0.65 ¥4.38

-3.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.59 ¥3.92

-1.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ¥27.55

$3.34 ¥22.36

23.05%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$13.06 ¥87.5

3.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.24

$0.89 ¥5.93

-12.36%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥11.48

$1.74 ¥11.63

-1.72%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.87

$0.34 ¥2.27

70.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.58 ¥118

$15.47 ¥104

13.64%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.65

$1.44 ¥9.62

31.25%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.33 ¥2.22

18.18%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 ¥46.52

$7.63 ¥51.1

-8.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.59

$1.21 ¥8.09

5.79%

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

$19.1K ¥128.2K

$19.2K ¥128.7K

-0.38%

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

$18.1K ¥121.1K

$16.2K ¥108.3K

11.78%

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

$48.93 ¥328

$55.3 ¥371

-11.57%

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

$10.09 ¥67.6

$8.67 ¥58.0

16.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.51 ¥97.2

$11.32 ¥75.8

28.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥345

$45.55 ¥305

13.19%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 ¥133

$14.93 ¥100

33.15%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 ¥50.0

$6.39 ¥42.81

16.90%

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

$570 ¥3,815

$418 ¥2,799

36.29%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K ¥244.2K

$17.0K ¥113.9K

114.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥391

$43.11 ¥289

35.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.35 ¥284

$33.42 ¥224

26.72%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 ¥564

$75.7 ¥507

11.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ¥728

$74.9 ¥502

45.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 ¥4,133

$297 ¥1,986

108.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ¥2,612

$181 ¥1,214

115.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ¥8,097

$684 ¥4,584

76.64%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ¥4,385

$317 ¥2,123

106.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,818 ¥52.4K

$3,167 ¥21.2K

146.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,669 ¥24.6K

$1,917 ¥12.8K

91.36%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,473 ¥9,867

$600 ¥4,016

145.70%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.37

3.86%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 5, 2026

Last update for Yulin: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $617 in Hangzhou versus $297 in Yulin. 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 146% 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 $16.00 in Yulin. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $215 – making Yulin 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 Yulin: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,523 per month in Hangzhou and $1,086 in Yulin. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 11% 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 $16.00 in Yulin. 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 Yulin, where all-in costs run around $724, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Yulin it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yulin – 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 Yulin. 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.