Cost of Living Comparison Between Suzhou and Hangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Suzhou and Hangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $969 per month in Suzhou vs $894 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,586 per month in Suzhou vs $1,466 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,204 per month in Suzhou vs $2,037 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Suzhou costs about 8% more than Hangzhou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both Suzhou and Hangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Suzhou 27% lower, Hangzhou 33% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.11 ¥27.84

$3.47 ¥23.48

18.44%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.41 ¥280

$26.12 ¥177

58.54%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.52 ¥37.33

$4.83 ¥32.66

14.29%

Cappuccino

$3.85 ¥26.07

$3.56 ¥24.11

8.15%

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

$1.69 ¥11.41

$0.51 ¥3.45

231.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.26

$0.29 ¥1.97

168.97%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.23 ¥28.64

$1.08 ¥7.34

291.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.42 ¥36.68

$1.70 ¥11.49

218.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.43 ¥16.46

$2.02 ¥13.68

20.30%

White Bread (500g)

$2.39 ¥16.17

$1.91 ¥12.93

25.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$0.95 ¥6.43

17.89%

Eggs

$2.06 ¥13.92

$1.71 ¥11.59

20.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.81 ¥141

$17.29 ¥117

20.36%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ¥25.29

$2.60 ¥17.58

43.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.59 ¥51.4

$9.87 ¥66.8

-23.10%

Apples (1kg)

$2.12 ¥14.32

$1.97 ¥13.34

7.61%

Banana (1kg)

$1.58 ¥10.67

$1.72 ¥11.62

-8.14%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.57 ¥10.65

$1.59 ¥10.73

-1.26%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.86

$1.20 ¥8.13

9.17%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 ¥4.63

$0.73 ¥4.93

-6.85%

Onion (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.76

$0.99 ¥6.70

16.16%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.99 ¥6.73

$0.67 ¥4.50

47.76%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.49 ¥3.30

4.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.09 ¥27.67

$4.16 ¥28.16

-1.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$10.36 ¥70.1

$13.30 ¥90.0

-22.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.87 ¥5.87

$0.74 ¥4.99

17.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ¥18.58

$1.68 ¥11.39

63.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.98

$0.51 ¥3.47

-43.14%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.18 ¥285

$15.52 ¥105

171.78%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.84 ¥12.46

-3.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.22

$0.39 ¥2.66

-15.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.56 ¥57.9

$6.17 ¥41.76

38.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.71

$1.16 ¥7.85

-1.72%

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

$21.2K ¥143.5K

$19.5K ¥132.0K

8.77%

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

$23.9K ¥162.0K

$16.8K ¥113.9K

42.25%

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

$118 ¥801

$43.61 ¥295

171.29%

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

$15.12 ¥102

$11.46 ¥77.6

31.94%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.46 ¥77.5

$18.09 ¥122

-36.65%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$64.7 ¥438

$58.5 ¥396

10.59%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.10 ¥129

$16.25 ¥110

17.54%

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 ¥46.03

$6.18 ¥41.85

10.03%

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

$781 ¥5,286

$453 ¥3,063

72.56%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.0K ¥115.2K

$28.7K ¥194.6K

-40.79%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.2 ¥360

$57.2 ¥387

-6.94%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.25 ¥239

$35.35 ¥239

-0.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.3 ¥489

$70.4 ¥476

2.73%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.8 ¥635

$92.6 ¥626

1.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$403 ¥2,727

$511 ¥3,459

-21.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$206 ¥1,392

$299 ¥2,025

-31.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$966 ¥6,541

$1,156 ¥7,826

-16.42%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$527 ¥3,567

$674 ¥4,559

-21.75%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,406 ¥36.6K

$7,615 ¥51.5K

-29.02%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,701 ¥18.3K

$3,739 ¥25.3K

-27.77%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,338 ¥9,056

$1,418 ¥9,593

-5.60%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.86

3.83

0.78%

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

Last update for Suzhou: July 11, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $403 in Suzhou versus $511 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 6% higher in Hangzhou, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $41.00 in Suzhou versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $243 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

Suzhou vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Suzhou is pricier by about 8%, 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 $1,454 per month in Suzhou and $1,342 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 9% more in Suzhou, 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 $41.00 in Suzhou 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 $894, than in Suzhou at $969. In Hangzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Suzhou 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, Suzhou makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.