Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Hangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Shanghai and Hangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,209 per month in Shanghai vs $908 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,979 per month in Shanghai vs $1,462 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,749 per month in Shanghai vs $2,017 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Shanghai costs about 33% more than Hangzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Shanghai and Hangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Shanghai 10% lower, Hangzhou 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.90 ¥33.19

$3.50 ¥23.68

40.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.30 ¥246

$26.22 ¥178

38.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.59 ¥37.86

$4.91 ¥33.24

13.85%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.04

$3.39 ¥22.97

4.72%

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

$0.57 ¥3.88

$0.48 ¥3.26

18.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.36 ¥2.46

$0.29 ¥1.98

24.14%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.43 ¥9.67

$1.10 ¥7.44

30.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.85 ¥19.26

$1.63 ¥11.02

74.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 ¥14.61

$1.98 ¥13.42

9.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.97 ¥13.32

-9.64%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.10 ¥7.42

$0.99 ¥6.72

11.11%

Eggs

$1.69 ¥11.44

$1.81 ¥12.27

-6.63%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.30 ¥104

$16.80 ¥114

-8.93%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.14

$2.58 ¥17.48

20.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.76 ¥72.8

$9.63 ¥65.2

11.73%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.30

$2.04 ¥13.83

10.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.67 ¥11.32

$1.79 ¥12.12

-6.70%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$1.60 ¥10.80

12.50%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.36

$1.20 ¥8.12

27.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.46

$0.72 ¥4.85

12.50%

Onion (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.53

$1.00 ¥6.77

11.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.68 ¥4.61

$0.63 ¥4.26

7.94%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.76

$0.53 ¥3.62

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.84 ¥19.20

$4.27 ¥28.90

-33.49%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.60 ¥78.6

$13.56 ¥91.8

-14.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.32

$0.69 ¥4.67

14.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.07

$1.70 ¥11.48

-3.53%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.51 ¥3.43

-15.69%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$34.41 ¥233

$15.03 ¥102

128.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.21 ¥14.93

$1.77 ¥11.97

24.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.38 ¥2.56

$0.42 ¥2.86

-9.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.38 ¥56.7

$6.45 ¥43.65

29.92%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

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

$19.5K ¥132.3K

$19.5K ¥131.7K

0.41%

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

$18.1K ¥122.9K

$16.7K ¥113.4K

8.36%

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

$52.8 ¥357

$45.27 ¥306

16.66%

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

$8.53 ¥57.8

$11.28 ¥76.3

-24.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.84 ¥93.7

$18.42 ¥125

-24.86%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$47.02 ¥318

$60.0 ¥406

-21.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.81 ¥134

$15.86 ¥107

24.91%

Cinema Ticket

$8.46 ¥57.3

$6.42 ¥43.48

31.78%

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

$1,303 ¥8,817

$456 ¥3,086

185.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.6K ¥213.7K

$28.5K ¥193.1K

10.65%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.6 ¥403

$56.2 ¥380

6.00%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.09 ¥258

$34.96 ¥237

8.95%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.8 ¥533

$72.1 ¥488

9.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.3 ¥672

$93.3 ¥632

6.39%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$933 ¥6,313

$523 ¥3,543

78.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$570 ¥3,858

$301 ¥2,037

89.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,490 ¥16.9K

$1,118 ¥7,565

122.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,192 ¥8,070

$685 ¥4,636

74.09%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$14.0K ¥94.7K

$7,767 ¥52.6K

80.09%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$6,729 ¥45.5K

$3,765 ¥25.5K

78.75%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,689 ¥11.4K

$1,470 ¥9,952

14.85%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.58

3.83

-6.53%

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

Last update for Shanghai: June 2, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $933 in Shanghai versus $523 in Hangzhou. 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 15% higher in Shanghai, 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 $36.00 in Shanghai versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $225 vs $223 – making Hangzhou 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

Shanghai vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Shanghai is pricier by about 33%, and the gap shows up most in Eating Out. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,814 per month in Shanghai and $1,362 in Hangzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Hangzhou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 1% more in Shanghai, 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 $36.00 in Shanghai 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 Hangzhou, where all-in costs run around $908, than in Shanghai at $1,209. In Hangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Shanghai it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Hangzhou – 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 Hangzhou. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Shanghai makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.