Cost of Living Comparison Between Wenzhou and Hangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Wenzhou and Hangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $631 per month in Wenzhou vs $1,015 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,056 per month in Wenzhou vs $1,553 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,480 per month in Wenzhou vs $2,091 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Wenzhou is about 38% cheaper than Hangzhou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both Wenzhou and Hangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Wenzhou 54% lower, Hangzhou 26% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.96 ¥19.84

$3.80 ¥25.52

-22.11%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$29.15 ¥196

$25.84 ¥173

12.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.24 ¥48.55

$5.12 ¥34.33

41.41%

Cappuccino

$2.63 ¥17.65

$3.43 ¥23.01

-23.32%

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

$0.53 ¥3.58

$0.60 ¥4.01

-11.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.96

$0.31 ¥2.05

-6.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.91 ¥6.11

$1.45 ¥9.74

-37.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.91 ¥19.51

$2.20 ¥14.74

32.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.07 ¥13.87

$1.96 ¥13.13

5.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.96 ¥13.17

$1.66 ¥11.15

18.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 ¥8.90

$1.13 ¥7.58

17.70%

Eggs

$1.96 ¥13.12

$2.16 ¥14.50

-9.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.36 ¥49.40

$18.97 ¥127

-61.20%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$2.90 ¥19.49

$3.68 ¥24.68

-21.20%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.28 ¥62.3

$10.28 ¥69.0

-9.73%

Apples (1kg)

$1.90 ¥12.73

$2.23 ¥14.94

-14.80%

Banana (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.35

$1.34 ¥8.99

37.31%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.70 ¥11.40

$1.61 ¥10.78

5.59%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.11 ¥7.44

$1.49 ¥10.02

-25.50%

Potato (1kg)

$0.61 ¥4.08

$0.93 ¥6.27

-34.41%

Onion (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

$0.99 ¥6.63

-27.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.47 ¥3.14

$0.62 ¥4.16

-24.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.64 ¥4.33

$0.59 ¥3.94

8.47%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.32 ¥22.30

$3.99 ¥26.80

-16.79%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.75 ¥85.6

$13.31 ¥89.3

-4.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 ¥8.06

$0.80 ¥5.35

50.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.17 ¥7.86

$1.67 ¥11.18

-29.94%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.58 ¥3.86

-50.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.63 ¥118

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.63 ¥10.92

$1.89 ¥12.68

-13.76%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.36

$0.39 ¥2.59

-10.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.57 ¥50.8

$6.79 ¥45.54

11.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.87

$1.31 ¥8.78

-10.69%

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

$19.3K ¥129.5K

$19.5K ¥131.0K

-1.13%

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

$15.4K ¥103.2K

$18.2K ¥122.0K

-15.39%

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

$29.81 ¥200

$50.1 ¥336

-40.55%

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

$6.51 ¥43.65

$10.55 ¥70.8

-38.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$8.85 ¥59.4

$14.89 ¥99.9

-40.56%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.77 ¥92.4

$51.6 ¥346

-73.30%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$27.23 ¥183

$19.87 ¥133

37.04%

Cinema Ticket

$7.21 ¥48.39

$7.45 ¥50.0

-3.22%

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

$1,256 ¥8,424

$566 ¥3,796

121.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,744 ¥65.4K

$35.6K ¥239.2K

-72.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.94 ¥288

$58.4 ¥392

-26.42%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$18.58 ¥125

$41.59 ¥279

-55.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$97.4 ¥653

$84.6 ¥568

15.04%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$43.86 ¥294

$108 ¥724

-59.32%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$244 ¥1,635

$622 ¥4,171

-60.80%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$170 ¥1,138

$393 ¥2,634

-56.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$624 ¥4,189

$1,175 ¥7,887

-46.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$358 ¥2,401

$651 ¥4,369

-45.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,084 ¥27.4K

$7,757 ¥52.0K

-47.35%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,580 ¥17.3K

$3,645 ¥24.5K

-29.23%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$871 ¥5,845

$1,477 ¥9,908

-41.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.22

3.5

-8.00%

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

Last update for Wenzhou: August 31, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $244 in Wenzhou versus $622 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 70% 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 $29.00 in Wenzhou versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $197 in Wenzhou vs $237 in Hangzhou – so Wenzhou wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Wenzhou vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 61%, and the gap shows up most in Clothing & Footwear. It's not just housing either; the difference applies across most spending categories.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $947 per month in Wenzhou and $1,523 in Hangzhou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

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

A mid-range dinner for two costs $29.00 in Wenzhou and $26.00 in Hangzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 20% 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 $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Wenzhou, where all-in costs run around $631, than in Hangzhou at $1,015. In Wenzhou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Wenzhou – 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 Wenzhou. 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.