Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Zhoushan Cost of Living Comparison Between Medan and Zhoushan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $607 in Medan versus $628 in Zhoushan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $933 in Medan versus $1,015 in Zhoushan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,260 in Medan versus $1,403 in Zhoushan.

Living in Medan costs roughly 3% less than in Zhoushan, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Medan 56% lower, Zhoushan 54% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.72 Rp 30.6K

$3.35 ¥22.50

-48.66%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$8.73 Rp 155.1K

$18.88 ¥127

-53.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.96 Rp 52.5K

$3.98 ¥26.68

-25.63%

Cappuccino

$1.55 Rp 27.6K

$3.01 ¥20.22

-48.50%

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

$0.34 Rp 6,114

$0.43 ¥2.89

-20.93%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 Rp 4,458

$0.27 ¥1.81

-7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.73 Rp 30.7K

$0.71 ¥4.76

143.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.58 Rp 63.6K

$1.87 ¥12.56

91.44%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.08 Rp 19.1K

$1.87 ¥12.53

-42.25%

White Bread (500g)

$1.14 Rp 20.2K

$2.08 ¥13.97

-45.19%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.83 Rp 14.8K

$0.87 ¥5.87

-4.60%

Eggs

$1.33 Rp 23.6K

$1.05 ¥7.03

26.67%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.91 Rp 140.5K

$13.35 ¥89.6

-40.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 Rp 62.7K

$3.33 ¥22.33

6.01%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.44 Rp 114.4K

$11.01 ¥73.9

-41.51%

Apples (1kg)

$2.43 Rp 43.2K

$1.47 ¥9.83

65.31%

Banana (1kg)

$1.05 Rp 18.7K

$1.17 ¥7.85

-10.26%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 Rp 26.4K

$1.51 ¥10.13

-1.99%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.96 Rp 17.0K

$1.18 ¥7.92

-18.64%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 Rp 15.4K

$0.58 ¥3.89

50.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.74 Rp 30.9K

$0.79 ¥5.30

120.25%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.41 Rp 7,334

$0.63 ¥4.23

-34.92%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.44 Rp 7,756

$0.58 ¥3.91

-24.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.02 Rp 53.7K

$5.17 ¥34.71

-41.59%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.41 Rp 291.5K

$12.06 ¥80.9

36.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.92 Rp 34.2K

$0.91 ¥6.12

110.99%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.04 Rp 54.0K

$2.17 ¥14.56

40.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 Rp 4,759

$0.31 ¥2.09

-12.90%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$6.07 Rp 107.9K

$14.76 ¥99.0

-58.88%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.53 Rp 9,394

$1.53 ¥10.25

-65.36%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.20 Rp 3,602

$0.43 ¥2.88

-53.49%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 ¥61.2

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 Rp 13.6K

$1.17 ¥7.84

-34.19%

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

$24.9K Rp 443.1M

$19.6K ¥131.8K

27.01%

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

$31.6K Rp 561.0M

$16.4K ¥110.0K

92.61%

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

$86.5 Rp 1.5M

$35.86 ¥241

141.10%

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

$3.29 Rp 58.5K

$11.74 ¥78.8

-71.98%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$23.34 Rp 414.6K

$26.98 ¥181

-13.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$17.06 Rp 303.1K

$24.40 ¥164

-30.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$8.69 Rp 154.3K

$7.57 ¥50.8

14.80%

Cinema Ticket

$3.43 Rp 61.0K

$6.09 ¥40.87

-43.68%

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

$114 Rp 2.0M

$438 ¥2,936

-73.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,720 Rp 30.6M

$16.0K ¥107.4K

-89.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$56.4 Rp 1.0M

$34.56 ¥232

63.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.16 Rp 695.6K

$21.67 ¥145

80.71%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 Rp 1.9M

$65.0 ¥436

62.07%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$115 Rp 2.0M

$44.55 ¥299

158.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 Rp 3.1M

$325 ¥2,180

-45.47%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$88.9 Rp 1.6M

$118 ¥795

-24.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$497 Rp 8.8M

$752 ¥5,043

-33.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$211 Rp 3.8M

$263 ¥1,767

-19.78%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,148 Rp 20.4M

$2,948 ¥19.8K

-61.07%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$571 Rp 10.1M

$1,969 ¥13.2K

-71.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$214 Rp 3.8M

$594 ¥3,983

-63.93%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.25

3.13

195.53%

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

Last update for Medan: August 31, 2026

Last update for Zhoushan: August 29, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $177 in Medan and $325 in Zhoushan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Zhoushan pays 177% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $9.00 in Medan vs $19.00 in Zhoushan for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $182 vs $209 per month, with Medan cheaper across the board.

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

Medan vs Zhoushan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Medan is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Eating Out, Monthly Utilities & Internet, Sport & Entertainment, Getting Around. The 3% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 177% lower in Zhoushan. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $177 in Medan versus $325 in Zhoushan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Medan runs roughly 143% less than in Zhoushan. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $114 in Medan versus $438 in Zhoushan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,000 a month, though Medan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Medan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Zhoushan. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.