Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Zhangjiakou Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Zhangjiakou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $896 per month in Hangzhou vs $737 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,480 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,167 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,064 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,596 in Zhangjiakou, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 22% more than Zhangjiakou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hangzhou and Zhangjiakou are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 33% lower, Zhangjiakou 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.42 ¥23.39

$2.08 ¥14.19

64.42%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.99 ¥184

$27.53 ¥188

-1.96%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.73 ¥32.28

$5.58 ¥38.12

-15.23%

Cappuccino

$3.40 ¥23.24

$3.23 ¥22.06

5.26%

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

$0.52 ¥3.58

$0.44 ¥2.99

18.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$0.29 ¥2.01

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.14 ¥7.77

$0.86 ¥5.85

32.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.48

$2.00 ¥13.64

-16.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.95 ¥13.33

$1.68 ¥11.50

16.07%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.41

$1.87 ¥12.77

4.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.84

$1.00 ¥6.82

Eggs

$1.72 ¥11.75

$0.91 ¥6.24

89.01%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.31 ¥118

$13.86 ¥94.6

24.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.62 ¥17.87

$2.86 ¥19.53

-8.39%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.59 ¥65.5

$9.22 ¥63.0

4.01%

Apples (1kg)

$2.05 ¥14.01

$1.27 ¥8.67

61.42%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.27

$0.85 ¥5.82

111.76%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.64 ¥11.21

$1.37 ¥9.38

19.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.21 ¥8.29

$1.10 ¥7.50

10.00%

Potato (1kg)

$0.74 ¥5.03

$0.79 ¥5.37

-6.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.39

$0.59 ¥4.00

59.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.33

$0.58 ¥3.98

8.62%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.60

$0.80 ¥5.48

-33.75%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.13 ¥28.19

$3.57 ¥24.36

15.69%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.95 ¥88.4

$13.34 ¥91.1

-2.92%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.70

$1.15 ¥7.88

-40.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 ¥11.75

$2.37 ¥16.18

-27.43%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ¥3.27

$0.27 ¥1.84

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.19 ¥104

$16.62 ¥114

-8.60%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ¥12.13

$0.93 ¥6.33

91.40%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.89

$0.31 ¥2.08

35.48%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥44.03

$6.11 ¥41.75

5.56%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.96

$1.09 ¥7.47

7.34%

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

$19.8K ¥135.3K

$16.5K ¥112.4K

20.36%

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

$17.0K ¥116.4K

$19.2K ¥131.4K

-11.43%

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

$45.21 ¥309

$86.2 ¥589

-47.58%

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

$11.43 ¥78.1

$6.77 ¥46.27

68.83%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.49 ¥126

$7.12 ¥48.63

159.69%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$59.5 ¥406

$41.62 ¥284

42.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.30 ¥111

$13.66 ¥93.3

19.33%

Cinema Ticket

$6.17 ¥42.15

$6.36 ¥43.46

-2.99%

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

$444 ¥3,035

$313 ¥2,140

41.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.6K ¥195.4K

$4,938 ¥33.7K

479.33%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.0 ¥390

$39.58 ¥270

44.11%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.11 ¥240

$29.43 ¥201

19.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.8 ¥497

$77.3 ¥528

-5.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 ¥640

$55.2 ¥377

69.93%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$514 ¥3,508

$276 ¥1,882

86.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$310 ¥2,117

$190 ¥1,300

62.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,148 ¥7,839

$601 ¥4,103

91.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$661 ¥4,514

$357 ¥2,439

85.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,931 ¥54.2K

$2,997 ¥20.5K

164.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,931 ¥26.9K

$1,996 ¥13.6K

96.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,378 ¥9,415

$375 ¥2,564

267.22%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

4.35

-11.95%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: April 11, 2026

Last update for Zhangjiakou: April 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $514 in Hangzhou versus $276 in Zhangjiakou. 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 267% 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 in Hangzhou versus $28 in Zhangjiakou. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Hangzhou vs $202 in Zhangjiakou – so Zhangjiakou 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 Zhangjiakou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 22%, 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 $1,344 per month in Hangzhou and $1,106 in Zhangjiakou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Zhangjiakou, 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 $27.00 in Hangzhou and $28.00 in Zhangjiakou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Zhangjiakou, where all-in costs run around $737, than in Hangzhou at $896. In Zhangjiakou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhangjiakou – 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 Zhangjiakou. 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.