Cost of Living Comparison Between Yiwu and Hangzhou Cost of Living Comparison Between Yiwu and Hangzhou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $718 per month in Yiwu vs $908 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,344 per month in Yiwu vs $1,462 in Hangzhou, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,969 per month in Yiwu vs $2,017 in Hangzhou, rent included.

Yiwu is about 21% cheaper than Hangzhou, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both Yiwu and Hangzhou are more affordable than the global median – Yiwu 46% lower, Hangzhou 32% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.39

$3.50 ¥23.68

-22.29%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.17 ¥245

$26.22 ¥178

37.95%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.48 ¥37.07

$4.91 ¥33.24

11.61%

Cappuccino

$3.55 ¥24.06

$3.39 ¥22.97

4.72%

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

$0.55 ¥3.71

$0.48 ¥3.26

14.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.00

$0.29 ¥1.98

3.45%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.42 ¥9.58

$1.10 ¥7.44

29.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.74 ¥18.51

$1.63 ¥11.02

68.10%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.98 ¥13.42

-10.10%

White Bread (500g)

$1.79 ¥12.15

$1.97 ¥13.32

-9.14%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.85 ¥5.73

$0.99 ¥6.72

-14.14%

Eggs

$1.60 ¥10.85

$1.81 ¥12.27

-11.60%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$15.31 ¥104

$16.80 ¥114

-8.87%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.12 ¥21.15

$2.58 ¥17.48

20.93%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.57 ¥71.5

$9.63 ¥65.2

9.76%

Apples (1kg)

$1.70 ¥11.54

$2.04 ¥13.83

-16.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 ¥9.68

$1.79 ¥12.12

-20.11%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.52

$1.60 ¥10.80

-11.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.67

$1.20 ¥8.12

-5.83%

Potato (1kg)

$0.51 ¥3.44

$0.72 ¥4.85

-29.17%

Onion (1kg)

$0.82 ¥5.54

$1.00 ¥6.77

-18.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.15 ¥1.04

$0.63 ¥4.26

-76.19%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥4.03

$0.53 ¥3.62

13.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.77 ¥18.75

$4.27 ¥28.90

-35.13%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.98 ¥81.1

$13.56 ¥91.8

-11.65%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.40 ¥2.74

$0.69 ¥4.67

-42.03%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.07 ¥7.23

$1.70 ¥11.48

-37.06%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.40 ¥2.73

$0.51 ¥3.43

-21.57%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.96 ¥115

$15.03 ¥102

12.84%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 ¥7.65

$1.77 ¥11.97

-36.16%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.23 ¥1.56

$0.42 ¥2.86

-45.24%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.30 ¥56.2

$6.45 ¥43.65

28.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.75

$1.14 ¥7.71

0.88%

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

$19.6K ¥132.7K

$19.5K ¥131.7K

0.74%

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

$17.7K ¥120.1K

$16.7K ¥113.4K

5.90%

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

$51.7 ¥350

$45.27 ¥306

14.27%

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

$8.78 ¥59.4

$11.28 ¥76.3

-22.16%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.47 ¥91.2

$18.42 ¥125

-26.87%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$14.17 ¥95.9

$60.0 ¥406

-76.40%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.60 ¥71.8

$15.86 ¥107

-33.17%

Cinema Ticket

$6.49 ¥43.92

$6.42 ¥43.48

1.09%

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

$339 ¥2,293

$456 ¥3,086

-25.71%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$31.7K ¥214.7K

$28.5K ¥193.1K

11.18%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 ¥372

$56.2 ¥380

-2.10%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$34.40 ¥233

$34.96 ¥237

-1.60%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.3 ¥516

$72.1 ¥488

5.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.4 ¥476

$93.3 ¥632

-24.60%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$424 ¥2,868

$523 ¥3,543

-19.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$185 ¥1,253

$301 ¥2,037

-38.50%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$990 ¥6,698

$1,118 ¥7,565

-11.46%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$688 ¥4,656

$685 ¥4,636

0.43%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,197 ¥21.6K

$7,767 ¥52.6K

-58.84%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,894 ¥19.6K

$3,765 ¥25.5K

-23.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$591 ¥4,002

$1,470 ¥9,952

-59.79%

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 Yiwu: May 30, 2026

Last update for Hangzhou: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $424 in Yiwu 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 149% 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 $36.00 in Yiwu versus $26.00 in Hangzhou. Groceries tell a different story – $206 in Yiwu vs $223 in Hangzhou – so Yiwu 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

Yiwu vs Hangzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Yes – Hangzhou is pricier by about 26%, 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 $1,078 per month in Yiwu 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 Yiwu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Groceries cost about 8% 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 $36.00 in Yiwu and $26.00 in Hangzhou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Yiwu, where all-in costs run around $718, than in Hangzhou at $908. In Yiwu it covers expenses comfortably, while in Hangzhou it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Yiwu – 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 Yiwu. 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.