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

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $908 per month in Hangzhou vs $671 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,462 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,061 in Zhoushan, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,017 per month in Hangzhou vs $1,451 in Zhoushan, rent included.

Hangzhou costs about 35% more than Zhoushan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Hangzhou and Zhoushan are more affordable than the global median – Hangzhou 32% lower, Zhoushan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.50 ¥23.68

$3.10 ¥20.98

12.90%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$26.22 ¥178

$17.11 ¥116

53.24%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.91 ¥33.24

$4.80 ¥32.50

2.29%

Cappuccino

$3.39 ¥22.97

$2.83 ¥19.17

19.79%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.43 ¥2.94

11.63%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.29 ¥1.97

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.10 ¥7.44

$0.88 ¥5.98

25.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥11.02

$1.42 ¥9.64

14.79%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.98 ¥13.42

$2.15 ¥14.55

-7.91%

White Bread (500g)

$1.97 ¥13.32

$2.38 ¥16.09

-17.23%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$0.86 ¥5.84

15.12%

Eggs

$1.81 ¥12.27

$0.99 ¥6.69

82.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$16.80 ¥114

$20.97 ¥142

-19.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.58 ¥17.48

$3.74 ¥25.32

-31.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.63 ¥65.2

$7.96 ¥53.9

20.98%

Apples (1kg)

$2.04 ¥13.83

$1.41 ¥9.56

44.68%

Banana (1kg)

$1.79 ¥12.12

$1.12 ¥7.61

59.82%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.60 ¥10.80

$1.41 ¥9.55

13.48%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.12

$1.08 ¥7.33

11.11%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.54 ¥3.66

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.00 ¥6.77

$0.81 ¥5.49

23.46%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.26

$0.61 ¥4.10

3.28%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.62

$0.48 ¥3.22

10.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.90

$4.27 ¥28.89

Wine (Bottle)

$13.56 ¥91.8

$11.16 ¥75.5

21.51%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.69 ¥4.67

$0.94 ¥6.38

-26.60%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.48

$2.70 ¥18.25

-37.04%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.27 ¥1.83

88.89%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.03 ¥102

$16.65 ¥113

-9.73%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.77 ¥11.97

$1.58 ¥10.67

12.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.42 ¥2.86

$0.35 ¥2.38

20.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.45 ¥43.65

$8.34 ¥56.4

-22.66%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.09 ¥7.39

4.59%

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

$19.5K ¥131.7K

$21.1K ¥143.1K

-7.92%

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

$16.7K ¥113.4K

$15.2K ¥102.7K

10.37%

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

$45.27 ¥306

$45.78 ¥310

-1.11%

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

$11.28 ¥76.3

$14.90 ¥101

-24.30%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.42 ¥125

$11.26 ¥76.2

63.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$60.0 ¥406

$22.83 ¥155

162.99%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.86 ¥107

$6.79 ¥45.98

133.58%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.48

$6.42 ¥43.42

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

$456 ¥3,086

$744 ¥5,034

-38.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$28.5K ¥193.1K

$16.7K ¥113.3K

70.45%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.2 ¥380

$53.7 ¥364

4.65%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.96 ¥237

$35.42 ¥240

-1.30%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.1 ¥488

$70.2 ¥475

2.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.3 ¥632

$91.4 ¥618

2.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$523 ¥3,543

$308 ¥2,086

69.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$301 ¥2,037

$112 ¥761

167.67%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,118 ¥7,565

$700 ¥4,736

59.73%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$685 ¥4,636

$254 ¥1,718

169.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$7,767 ¥52.6K

$2,961 ¥20.0K

162.32%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,765 ¥25.5K

$1,990 ¥13.5K

89.15%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,470 ¥9,952

$602 ¥4,072

144.41%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.83

3.86

-0.78%

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

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Last update for Zhoushan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $523 in Hangzhou versus $308 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 144% 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 $17.00 in Zhoushan. Groceries tell a different story – $223 in Hangzhou vs $227 in Zhoushan – so Hangzhou 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 Zhoushan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 35%, 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 $1,006 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.

Interestingly, groceries are about 2% cheaper in Hangzhou – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $26.00 in Hangzhou and $17.00 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 $671, than in Hangzhou at $908. 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.