For one person, living is cheaper in Hefei: $768 a month against $1,841 in Fano, rent and utilities included – about $12,900 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Hefei and in Fano actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $768 per month in Hefei vs $1,841 in Fano, rent included.
Hefei $768
Fano $1,841
A couple spends around $1,225 per month in Hefei vs $2,617 in Fano, rent included.
Hefei $1,225
Fano $2,617
A family of three spends $1,681 per month in Hefei vs $3,394 in Fano, rent included.
Hefei $1,681
Fano $3,394
🙂
Hefei is about 58% cheaper than Fano, and outside of rent the biggest gap is in eating out.
📊
Hefei sits 43% below the global median, while Fano is 36% above – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Hefei
Fano
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.58¥17.28
$19.94€17.73
-87.06%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.44¥150
$55.5€49.36
-59.56%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.36¥29.18
$14.38€12.79
-69.68%
Cappuccino
$2.75¥18.39
$1.98€1.76
38.89%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.49¥3.26
$2.90€2.58
-83.10%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27¥1.80
$1.34€1.19
-79.85%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.06¥7.09
$5.63€5.01
-81.17%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.00¥13.35
$5.69€5.06
-64.85%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Hefei
Fano
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.62¥10.84
$1.86€1.66
-12.90%
White Bread(500g)
$2.06¥13.75
$2.60€2.32
-20.77%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.81¥5.42
$2.85€2.53
-71.58%
Eggs
$1.92¥12.84
$4.61€4.10
-58.35%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$14.10¥94.3
$25.95€23.08
-45.66%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.90¥32.76
$11.93€10.61
-58.93%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.57¥77.3
$26.09€23.21
-55.65%
Apples(1kg)
$2.31¥15.45
$2.98€2.65
-22.48%
Banana(1kg)
$1.72¥11.52
$2.58€2.30
-33.33%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.64¥10.95
$3.21€2.86
-48.91%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.61¥10.79
$2.62€2.33
-38.55%
Potato(1kg)
$0.80¥5.37
$2.36€2.10
-66.10%
Onion(1kg)
$0.94¥6.26
$1.94€1.72
-51.55%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.79¥5.26
$1.86€1.65
-57.53%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.70¥4.70
$0.44€0.39
59.09%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.08¥20.59
$6.27€5.57
-50.88%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.16¥81.3
$8.02€7.14
51.62%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.93¥6.21
$1.99€1.77
-53.27%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99¥13.28
$3.14€2.79
-36.62%
🚌 Getting Around
Hefei
Fano
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.31¥2.09
$2.71€2.41
-88.56%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$45.22¥302
$59.3€52.8
-23.78%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.23¥8.21
$3.65€3.25
-66.30%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.33¥2.20
$1.24€1.11
-73.39%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$3.51¥23.48
$31.02€27.59
-88.68%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.33¥8.91
$2.10€1.87
-36.67%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.0K¥127.2K
$36.4K€32.4K
-47.76%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.9K¥112.9K
$38.3K€34.1K
-55.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hefei
Fano
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$48.54¥325
$249€222
-80.51%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.54¥63.8
$8.26€7.35
15.50%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$12.08¥80.8
$32.97€29.32
-63.36%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Hefei
Fano
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$15.66¥105
$60.5€53.8
-74.10%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.31¥102
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.41¥42.85
$10.10€8.99
-36.53%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Hefei
Fano
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$236¥1,581
$761€677
-68.94%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$8,656¥57.9K
$16.8K€14.9K
-48.43%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Hefei
Fano
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.7¥600
$57.1€50.8
57.13%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.76¥219
$39.06€34.74
-16.13%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$62.7¥419
$108€95.7
-41.72%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$96.9¥648
$77.7€69.1
24.72%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Hefei
Fano
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$241¥1,609
$645€573
-62.66%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$179¥1,197
$578€514
-69.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$532¥3,558
$908€808
-41.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$340¥2,270
$681€606
-50.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,573¥23.9K
$3,417€3,040
4.55%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$1,975¥13.2K
$2,229€1,983
-11.38%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Hefei
Fano
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,011¥6,763
$1,922€1,710
-47.38%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.15
3
5.00%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Hefei: October 19, 2026
Last update for Fano: October 19, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hefei
$235 30.6%
Fano
$403 21.9% ↑ 71.7%$168
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hefei
$179 23.3%
Fano
$578 31.4% ↑ 223%$399
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hefei
$127 16.5%
Fano
$127 6.9% ↓ 0.2%$0.3
🍽Eating Out
Hefei
$79 10.3%
Fano
$283 15.4% ↑ 258%$204
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hefei
$70 9.1%
Fano
$290 15.8% ↑ 314%$220
🚌Getting Around
Hefei
$49 6.4%
Fano
$80 4.4% ↑ 62.2%$31
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hefei
$28 3.7%
Fano
$81 4.4% ↑ 183%$52
🛒Groceries & Markets
Hefei
$541 32.2%
Fano
$958 28.2% ↑ 77%$417
🏠Accommodation & Living
Hefei
$340 20.2%
Fano
$681 20.1% ↑ 101%$341
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Hefei
$282 16.8%
Fano
$281 8.3% ↓ 0.2%$0.6
🍽Eating Out
Hefei
$268 15.9%
Fano
$849 25% ↑ 217%$581
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Hefei
$80 4.7%
Fano
$299 8.8% ↑ 275%$219
🚌Getting Around
Hefei
$99 5.9%
Fano
$166 4.9% ↑ 66.7%$66
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Hefei
$72 4.3%
Fano
$161 * 4.8% ↑ 123%$89
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠A central one-bedroom costs $241 in Hefei versus $645 in Fano. 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 90% higher in Fano, 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 $22.00 in Hefei versus $55.0 in Fano. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $235 vs $403 – making Hefei the more affordable choice for daily food spending.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Hefei vs Fano: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which city is more expensive, Hefei or Fano?
Fano costs about 140% more than Hefei, and outside of rent the gap comes mainly from eating out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.
How much do you need to earn to live comfortably in Hefei and in Fano?
For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,151 per month in Hefei and $2,761 in Fano. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.
Where is rent cheaper, Hefei or Fano?
Rent is clearly cheaper in Hefei, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.
How much does it cost to live in Hefei compared to Fano?
Monthly expenses with rent come to $768 in Hefei and $1,841 in Fano. That's a gap of about 140%.
How expensive is transport in Hefei compared to Fano?
Public transport costs about 31% less in Hefei. For daily commuters, that gap adds up to noticeable savings over a year.
Can you live on $1,000/month in Hefei or in Fano?
A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Hefei, where all-in costs run around $768, than in Fano at $1,841. In Hefei it covers expenses comfortably, while in Fano it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.
Which city is better for families?
Families tend to lean toward Hefei – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.
How safe is Hefei compared to Fano?
Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.
Should I move to Hefei or to Fano?
If budget matters most, go with Hefei. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Fano makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.