Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Zhoushan Cost of Living Comparison Between Hangzhou and Zhoushan

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,015 per month in Hangzhou vs $623 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,544 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,018 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,072 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,413 in Zhoushan, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 63% more than Zhoushan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Hangzhou and Zhoushan are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 26% lower, Zhoushan 55% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.68 ¥24.64

$3.40 ¥22.78

8.24%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.36 ¥177

$18.47 ¥124

42.72%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.64 ¥31.08

$4.08 ¥27.34

13.73%

Cappuccino

$3.46 ¥23.21

$2.93 ¥19.67

18.09%

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

$0.60 ¥4.02

$0.47 ¥3.13

27.66%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.07

$0.27 ¥1.83

14.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.50 ¥10.08

$0.72 ¥4.82

108.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.29 ¥15.35

$1.84 ¥12.35

24.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.55

$1.88 ¥12.63

-0.53%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.38

$2.17 ¥14.55

-21.66%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.11

$0.91 ¥6.08

16.48%

Eggs

$2.12 ¥14.21

$1.09 ¥7.31

94.50%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.41 ¥130

$13.51 ¥90.6

43.67%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.81 ¥25.54

$3.34 ¥22.38

14.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.24 ¥68.6

$11.22 ¥75.2

-8.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.28 ¥15.25

$1.53 ¥10.23

49.02%

Banana (1kg)

$1.32 ¥8.84

$1.16 ¥7.79

13.79%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.52 ¥10.21

$1.51 ¥10.11

0.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.03

$1.17 ¥7.84

28.21%

Potato (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.93

$0.62 ¥4.18

41.94%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.63

$0.86 ¥5.77

15.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.22

$0.62 ¥4.17

1.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.86

$0.56 ¥3.72

3.57%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.11 ¥27.57

$5.24 ¥35.14

-21.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 ¥91.0

$11.84 ¥79.4

14.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.24

$0.92 ¥6.14

-15.22%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥11.49

$2.22 ¥14.86

-22.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.58 ¥3.88

$0.29 ¥1.92

100.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.58 ¥118

$14.86 ¥99.6

18.30%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.89 ¥12.66

$1.45 ¥9.73

30.34%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.39 ¥2.58

$0.43 ¥2.88

-9.30%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.95 ¥46.55

$9.06 ¥60.7

-23.29%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.59

$1.22 ¥8.21

4.92%

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

$19.1K ¥128.3K

$19.1K ¥127.7K

0.43%

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

$18.1K ¥121.2K

$15.9K ¥106.4K

13.88%

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

$48.93 ¥328

$36.94 ¥248

32.46%

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

$10.09 ¥67.6

$11.76 ¥78.8

-14.20%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$14.51 ¥97.2

$27.73 ¥186

-47.67%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

$24.68 ¥165

108.91%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.88 ¥133

$7.60 ¥50.9

161.58%

Cinema Ticket

$7.47 ¥50.1

$5.92 ¥39.68

26.18%

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

$570 ¥3,818

$442 ¥2,963

28.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$36.5K ¥244.4K

$16.0K ¥107.2K

128.02%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$58.4 ¥391

$35.55 ¥238

64.16%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$42.35 ¥284

$21.07 ¥141

101.00%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$84.2 ¥564

$63.7 ¥427

32.18%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$109 ¥729

$44.92 ¥301

142.10%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$617 ¥4,136

$324 ¥2,171

90.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$390 ¥2,614

$120 ¥803

225.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,209 ¥8,102

$749 ¥5,020

61.39%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$655 ¥4,388

$264 ¥1,768

148.17%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,818 ¥52.4K

$2,996 ¥20.1K

160.97%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,669 ¥24.6K

$2,016 ¥13.5K

82.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,473 ¥9,873

$600 ¥4,024

145.38%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.5

3.13

11.82%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: September 5, 2026

Last update for Zhoushan: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $617 in Hangzhou versus $324 in Zhoushan. 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 145% 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 $18.00 in Zhoushan. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $238 vs $211 – making Zhoushan 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 Zhoushan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 63%, 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 $934 in Zhoushan. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

Groceries cost about 13% 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 $18.00 in Zhoushan. 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 Zhoushan, where all-in costs run around $623, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Zhoushan it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Zhoushan – 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 Zhoushan. 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.