Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanning and Zhoushan Cost of Living Comparison Between Nanning and Zhoushan

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $688 in Nanning versus $665 in Zhoushan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,096 in Nanning versus $1,060 in Zhoushan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,504 in Nanning versus $1,454 in Zhoushan.

Living in Nanning is roughly 3% more expensive than in Zhoushan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanning 48% lower, Zhoushan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.39

$3.18 ¥21.49

-14.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.41 ¥131

$17.40 ¥118

11.55%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.33 ¥36.09

$4.98 ¥33.74

7.03%

Cappuccino

$2.28 ¥15.42

$2.83 ¥19.13

-19.43%

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

$0.54 ¥3.68

$0.43 ¥2.93

25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.27 ¥1.81

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.92

$0.93 ¥6.31

-6.45%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.23 ¥15.12

$1.37 ¥9.26

62.77%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.72 ¥11.64

$2.05 ¥13.89

-16.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ¥7.46

$2.50 ¥16.95

-56.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.65

$0.87 ¥5.86

12.64%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.51

$1.02 ¥6.91

51.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.34 ¥63.2

$20.40 ¥138

-54.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.69

$3.65 ¥24.70

-8.22%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.20 ¥103

$7.86 ¥53.2

93.38%

Apples (1kg)

$1.87 ¥12.68

$1.37 ¥9.28

36.50%

Banana (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$1.13 ¥7.68

-2.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.48

$1.42 ¥9.60

-11.97%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.09 ¥7.35

50.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.88

$0.54 ¥3.68

61.11%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.30

$0.81 ¥5.47

33.33%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.46 ¥3.12

$0.55 ¥3.73

-16.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.41

$0.51 ¥3.43

-1.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.41 ¥23.07

$4.08 ¥27.59

-16.42%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.62 ¥99.0

$11.14 ¥75.4

31.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.70

$0.94 ¥6.34

-10.64%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$2.73 ¥18.45

-34.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.48 ¥3.22

$0.27 ¥1.82

77.78%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.42 ¥97.6

$16.90 ¥114

-14.67%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.64

$1.56 ¥10.58

-17.95%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.45

$0.35 ¥2.37

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.68 ¥52.0

$8.27 ¥56.0

-7.13%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.12 ¥7.60

1.79%

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

$21.0K ¥142.3K

$21.0K ¥141.8K

0.34%

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

$12.4K ¥84.0K

$15.2K ¥102.6K

-18.12%

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

$39.32 ¥266

$45.75 ¥310

-14.05%

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

$13.30 ¥90.0

$15.31 ¥104

-13.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.15 ¥75.5

$11.68 ¥79.1

-4.54%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.3 ¥469

$23.24 ¥157

198.24%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.07 ¥47.88

$6.87 ¥46.47

2.91%

Cinema Ticket

$5.65 ¥38.25

$6.12 ¥41.41

-7.68%

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

$297 ¥2,010

$754 ¥5,102

-60.61%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.9K ¥93.8K

$16.8K ¥113.5K

-17.34%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.76 ¥127

$53.5 ¥362

-64.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$28.07 ¥190

$35.47 ¥240

-20.86%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.6 ¥437

$69.3 ¥469

-6.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$103 ¥699

$93.0 ¥629

11.08%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$235 ¥1,591

$302 ¥2,046

-22.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$146 ¥985

$112 ¥761

29.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$356 ¥2,412

$689 ¥4,663

-48.28%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$273 ¥1,850

$248 ¥1,678

10.26%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,397 ¥23.0K

$2,955 ¥20.0K

14.96%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,447 ¥9,796

$1,956 ¥13.2K

-26.00%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$659 ¥4,457

$587 ¥3,973

12.19%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.18

3.86

8.29%

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

Last update for Nanning: July 12, 2026

Last update for Zhoushan: July 11, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $235 in Nanning and $302 in Zhoushan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanning pays 12% 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: $19.00 in Nanning vs $17.00 in Zhoushan. Groceries flip the comparison at $208 vs $225, with Nanning cheaper for home cooking.

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

Nanning vs Zhoushan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Nanning and Zhoushan differ by about 3% in total monthly costs ($688 vs $665 including rent). Zhoushan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 12% higher in Nanning, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $235 in Nanning versus $302 in Zhoushan. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zhoushan runs roughly 17% less than in Nanning. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $297 in Nanning versus $754 in Zhoushan. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Zhoushan 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 Zhoushan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 3% less than in Nanning. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.