Cost of Living Comparison Between Putian and Hangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Putian and Hangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $524 per month in Putian vs $1,015 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $853 per month in Putian vs $1,553 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,183 per month in Putian vs $2,091 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Putian is about 48% cheaper than Hangzhou, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Putian and Hangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Putian 62% lower, Hangzhou 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.25 ¥15.11

$3.80 ¥25.49

-40.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.31 ¥156

$25.84 ¥173

-9.79%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.36 ¥35.89

$5.12 ¥34.28

4.69%

Cappuccino

$2.53 ¥16.98

$3.43 ¥22.98

-26.24%

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

$0.44 ¥2.92

$0.60 ¥4.00

-26.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.31 ¥2.05

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.76 ¥5.08

$1.45 ¥9.72

-47.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.93 ¥19.65

$2.20 ¥14.72

33.18%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.53 ¥10.24

$1.96 ¥13.11

-21.94%

White Bread (500g)

$2.26 ¥15.16

$1.66 ¥11.14

36.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.65

$1.13 ¥7.58

-12.39%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.85

$2.16 ¥14.48

-25.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.91 ¥79.8

$18.97 ¥127

-37.22%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.44 ¥16.35

$3.68 ¥24.65

-33.70%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.06 ¥80.8

$10.28 ¥68.9

17.32%

Apples (1kg)

$2.61 ¥17.50

$2.23 ¥14.92

17.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥9.58

$1.34 ¥8.98

6.72%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.14

$1.61 ¥10.77

3.11%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.02 ¥13.53

$1.49 ¥10.01

35.57%

Potato (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.32

$0.93 ¥6.26

1.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.33

$0.99 ¥6.62

85.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$0.62 ¥4.16

40.32%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.60

$0.59 ¥3.94

-8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.05 ¥20.41

$3.99 ¥26.77

-23.56%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.96 ¥73.5

$13.31 ¥89.2

-17.66%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.64

$0.80 ¥5.34

5.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.71 ¥11.48

$1.67 ¥11.17

2.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.72 ¥4.85

$0.58 ¥3.85

24.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.92 ¥147

$17.63 ¥118

24.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.46 ¥9.81

$1.89 ¥12.67

-22.75%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.31 ¥2.08

$0.39 ¥2.58

-20.51%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.93 ¥46.46

$6.79 ¥45.48

2.06%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.27 ¥8.52

$1.31 ¥8.77

-3.05%

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

$19.1K ¥127.9K

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-2.22%

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

$17.2K ¥115.3K

$18.2K ¥121.8K

-5.35%

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

$43.23 ¥290

$50.1 ¥336

-13.78%

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

$8.56 ¥57.4

$10.55 ¥70.7

-18.86%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.20 ¥68.4

$14.89 ¥99.8

-31.50%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$51.6 ¥346

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.87 ¥133

Cinema Ticket

$10.15 ¥68.0

$7.45 ¥49.93

36.24%

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

$481 ¥3,221

$566 ¥3,791

-15.04%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$23.9K ¥159.9K

$35.6K ¥238.9K

-33.08%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$39.04 ¥262

$58.4 ¥391

-33.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$29.01 ¥194

$41.59 ¥279

-30.25%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$105 ¥702

$84.6 ¥567

23.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.9 ¥582

$108 ¥723

-19.43%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$622 ¥4,166

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$393 ¥2,631

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,175 ¥7,877

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$651 ¥4,364

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,607 ¥17.5K

$7,757 ¥52.0K

-66.40%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,136 ¥7,615

$3,645 ¥24.4K

-68.83%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$477 ¥3,194

$1,477 ¥9,896

-67.72%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

3.5

-1.14%

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

Last update for Putian: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Salaries run about 210% 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 $23.00 in Putian versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $217 vs $237 – making Putian the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Putian vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 94%, 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 $785 per month in Putian and $1,523 in Hangzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Groceries cost about 9% more in Hangzhou, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $23.00 in Putian and $26.00 in Hangzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,500 monthly budget goes further in Putian, where all-in costs run around $524, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Putian it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Putian – 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 Putian. 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.