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: $680 in Nanning versus $671 in Zhoushan.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,077 in Nanning versus $1,061 in Zhoushan.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,474 in Nanning versus $1,451 in Zhoushan.

Living in Nanning is roughly 1% more expensive than Zhoushan, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Nanning 49% lower, Zhoushan 50% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.82 ¥19.05

$3.10 ¥20.96

-9.03%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$19.05 ¥129

$17.11 ¥116

11.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.16 ¥34.91

$4.80 ¥32.47

7.50%

Cappuccino

$2.27 ¥15.35

$2.83 ¥19.15

-19.79%

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

$0.54 ¥3.67

$0.43 ¥2.94

25.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.83

$0.29 ¥1.97

-6.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.87 ¥5.90

$0.88 ¥5.98

-1.14%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.35 ¥15.92

$1.42 ¥9.63

65.49%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.07

$2.15 ¥14.53

-17.21%

White Bread (500g)

$1.10 ¥7.40

$2.38 ¥16.07

-53.78%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.02 ¥6.92

$0.86 ¥5.83

18.60%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.91

$0.99 ¥6.68

62.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.52 ¥64.4

$20.97 ¥142

-54.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ¥22.20

$3.74 ¥25.29

-12.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.68 ¥99.3

$7.96 ¥53.8

84.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.77

$1.41 ¥9.55

34.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.06 ¥7.14

$1.12 ¥7.61

-5.36%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.03

$1.41 ¥9.54

-15.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.20

$1.08 ¥7.32

53.70%

Potato (1kg)

$0.84 ¥5.68

$0.54 ¥3.65

55.56%

Onion (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.34

$0.81 ¥5.49

34.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.44 ¥2.95

$0.61 ¥4.10

-27.87%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.50 ¥3.41

$0.48 ¥3.22

4.17%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.89

$4.27 ¥28.86

-17.33%

Wine (Bottle)

$14.79 ¥100

$11.16 ¥75.4

32.53%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.86 ¥5.79

$0.94 ¥6.37

-8.51%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.78 ¥12.04

$2.70 ¥18.23

-34.07%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ¥3.19

$0.27 ¥1.82

74.07%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.56 ¥98.4

$16.65 ¥113

-12.55%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.25

$1.58 ¥10.65

-22.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.40 ¥2.68

$0.35 ¥2.37

14.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.46 ¥50.5

$8.34 ¥56.4

-10.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.09 ¥7.39

4.59%

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

$21.2K ¥143.7K

$21.1K ¥142.9K

0.53%

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

$12.7K ¥85.7K

$15.2K ¥102.6K

-16.48%

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

$39.49 ¥267

$45.78 ¥310

-13.74%

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

$13.41 ¥90.7

$14.90 ¥101

-10.00%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.80 ¥73.0

$11.26 ¥76.2

-4.09%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$69.6 ¥471

$22.83 ¥154

204.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.09 ¥47.91

$6.79 ¥45.93

4.42%

Cinema Ticket

$5.67 ¥38.34

$6.42 ¥43.38

-11.68%

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

$302 ¥2,041

$744 ¥5,029

-59.42%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$13.8K ¥93.4K

$16.7K ¥113.2K

-17.52%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$18.63 ¥126

$53.7 ¥363

-65.31%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.44 ¥186

$35.42 ¥240

-22.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$64.7 ¥438

$70.2 ¥475

-7.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$105 ¥707

$91.4 ¥618

14.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$231 ¥1,559

$308 ¥2,084

-25.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$144 ¥975

$112 ¥760

28.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 ¥2,366

$700 ¥4,731

-49.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$269 ¥1,818

$254 ¥1,716

5.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,474 ¥23.5K

$2,961 ¥20.0K

17.33%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,423 ¥9,622

$1,990 ¥13.5K

-28.50%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$660 ¥4,462

$602 ¥4,068

9.70%

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: May 30, 2026

Last update for Zhoushan: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $231 in Nanning and $308 in Zhoushan. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanning pays 10% 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 $207 vs $227, 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 1% in total monthly costs ($680 vs $671 including rent). Zhoushan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Nanning pays 10% more on average, 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: $231 in Nanning versus $308 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 14% less than in Nanning. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $302 in Nanning versus $744 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 1% less than in Nanning. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.