Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Zhangjiagang Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Zhangjiagang

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $727 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,553 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,165 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,091 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,603 in Zhangjiagang, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 40% more than Zhangjiagang, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.80 ¥25.52

$3.81 ¥25.53

-0.26%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$25.84 ¥173

$22.08 ¥148

17.03%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.12 ¥34.33

$4.94 ¥33.11

3.64%

Cappuccino

$3.43 ¥23.01

$3.15 ¥21.11

8.89%

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

$0.60 ¥4.01

$0.52 ¥3.50

15.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.05

$0.27 ¥1.81

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 ¥9.74

$1.53 ¥10.28

-5.23%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.20 ¥14.74

$2.29 ¥15.34

-3.93%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.96 ¥13.13

$2.18 ¥14.64

-10.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$2.08 ¥13.97

-20.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.58

$0.85 ¥5.69

32.94%

Eggs

$2.16 ¥14.50

$1.29 ¥8.66

67.44%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$18.97 ¥127

$10.64 ¥71.4

78.29%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.68 ¥24.68

$3.01 ¥20.19

22.26%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.28 ¥69.0

$8.85 ¥59.4

16.16%

Apples (1kg)

$2.23 ¥14.94

$2.11 ¥14.16

5.69%

Banana (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.99

$1.28 ¥8.56

4.69%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.61 ¥10.78

$1.74 ¥11.67

-7.47%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.49 ¥10.02

$1.11 ¥7.45

34.23%

Potato (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$0.84 ¥5.66

10.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.96 ¥6.41

3.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.16

$0.94 ¥6.33

-34.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 ¥3.94

$0.51 ¥3.44

15.69%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.99 ¥26.80

$3.71 ¥24.88

7.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.31 ¥89.3

$13.22 ¥88.7

0.68%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.35

$0.98 ¥6.56

-18.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.18

$1.56 ¥10.47

7.05%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.29 ¥1.93

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

$19.28 ¥129

-8.56%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.68

$1.75 ¥11.75

8.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.59

$0.42 ¥2.81

-7.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.79 ¥45.54

$8.71 ¥58.4

-22.04%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.31 ¥8.78

$1.33 ¥8.91

-1.50%

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

$19.5K ¥131.0K

$19.5K ¥130.7K

0.23%

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

$18.2K ¥122.0K

$16.7K ¥112.3K

8.63%

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

$50.1 ¥336

$55.4 ¥372

-9.49%

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

$10.55 ¥70.8

$7.44 ¥49.93

41.80%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.89 ¥99.9

$7.20 ¥48.32

106.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$39.27 ¥264

31.32%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

$14.86 ¥99.7

33.71%

Cinema Ticket

$7.45 ¥50.0

$6.07 ¥40.74

22.73%

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

$566 ¥3,796

$412 ¥2,765

37.31%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$35.6K ¥239.2K

$22.6K ¥151.9K

57.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥392

$42.87 ¥288

36.13%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.59 ¥279

$34.26 ¥230

21.40%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.6 ¥568

$64.7 ¥434

30.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 ¥724

$87.4 ¥586

23.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,171

$280 ¥1,882

121.68%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,634

$208 ¥1,393

89.04%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,887

$574 ¥3,851

104.83%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,369

$364 ¥2,440

79.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,757 ¥52.0K

$3,172 ¥21.3K

144.51%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,645 ¥24.5K

$2,154 ¥14.5K

69.19%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,477 ¥9,908

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.42

2.34%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiagang: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $622 in Hangzhou versus $280 in Zhangjiagang. 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 $22.00 in Zhangjiagang. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $237 vs $204 – making Zhangjiagang 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 Zhangjiagang: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 40%, 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 $1,523 per month in Hangzhou and $1,091 in Zhangjiagang. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 16% 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 $22.00 in Zhangjiagang. 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 Zhangjiagang, where all-in costs run around $727, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Zhangjiagang it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhangjiagang – 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 Zhangjiagang. 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.