Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhoushan and Nanning Cost of Living Comparison Between Zhoushan and Nanning

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $671 in Zhoushan versus $680 in Nanning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,061 in Zhoushan versus $1,077 in Nanning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,451 in Zhoushan versus $1,474 in Nanning.

Living in Zhoushan costs roughly 1% less than in Nanning, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zhoushan 50% lower, Nanning 49% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.10 ¥20.96

$2.82 ¥19.05

9.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.11 ¥116

$19.05 ¥129

-10.18%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.80 ¥32.47

$5.16 ¥34.91

-6.98%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ¥19.15

$2.27 ¥15.35

24.67%

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

$0.43 ¥2.94

$0.54 ¥3.67

-20.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.27 ¥1.83

7.41%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.88 ¥5.98

$0.87 ¥5.90

1.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.42 ¥9.63

$2.35 ¥15.92

-39.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.15 ¥14.53

$1.78 ¥12.07

20.79%

White Bread (500g)

$2.38 ¥16.07

$1.10 ¥7.40

116.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.83

$1.02 ¥6.92

-15.69%

Eggs

$0.99 ¥6.68

$1.61 ¥10.91

-38.51%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.97 ¥142

$9.52 ¥64.4

120.27%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.74 ¥25.29

$3.28 ¥22.20

14.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.96 ¥53.8

$14.68 ¥99.3

-45.78%

Apples (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.55

$1.89 ¥12.77

-25.40%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.61

$1.06 ¥7.14

5.66%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.41 ¥9.54

$1.19 ¥8.03

18.49%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.32

$1.66 ¥11.20

-34.94%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.65

$0.84 ¥5.68

-35.71%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.49

$1.09 ¥7.34

-25.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.10

$0.44 ¥2.95

38.64%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.48 ¥3.22

$0.50 ¥3.41

-4.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.27 ¥28.86

$3.53 ¥23.89

20.96%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.16 ¥75.4

$14.79 ¥100

-24.54%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.37

$0.86 ¥5.79

9.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.70 ¥18.23

$1.78 ¥12.04

51.69%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.47 ¥3.19

-42.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.65 ¥113

$14.56 ¥98.4

14.35%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.58 ¥10.65

$1.22 ¥8.25

29.51%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.40 ¥2.68

-12.50%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.34 ¥56.4

$7.46 ¥50.5

11.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.09 ¥7.39

$1.14 ¥7.70

-4.39%

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

$21.1K ¥142.9K

$21.2K ¥143.7K

-0.52%

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

$15.2K ¥102.6K

$12.7K ¥85.7K

19.74%

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

$45.78 ¥310

$39.49 ¥267

15.93%

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

$14.90 ¥101

$13.41 ¥90.7

11.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.26 ¥76.2

$10.80 ¥73.0

4.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$22.83 ¥154

$69.6 ¥471

-67.20%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.79 ¥45.93

$7.09 ¥47.91

-4.23%

Cinema Ticket

$6.42 ¥43.38

$5.67 ¥38.34

13.23%

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

$744 ¥5,029

$302 ¥2,041

146.43%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.7K ¥113.2K

$13.8K ¥93.4K

21.25%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.7 ¥363

$18.63 ¥126

188.30%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.42 ¥240

$27.44 ¥186

29.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$70.2 ¥475

$64.7 ¥438

8.45%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$91.4 ¥618

$105 ¥707

-12.62%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$308 ¥2,084

$231 ¥1,559

33.67%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ¥760

$144 ¥975

-22.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$700 ¥4,731

$350 ¥2,366

99.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$254 ¥1,716

$269 ¥1,818

-5.59%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,961 ¥20.0K

$3,474 ¥23.5K

-14.77%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,990 ¥13.5K

$1,423 ¥9,622

39.87%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$602 ¥4,068

$660 ¥4,462

-8.84%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.86

4.18

-7.66%

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

Last update for Zhoushan: June 1, 2026

Last update for Nanning: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $308 in Zhoushan and $231 in Nanning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanning pays 10% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $17.00 in Zhoushan vs $19.00 in Nanning. Groceries flip the comparison at $227 vs $207, with Nanning cheaper for home cooking.

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

Zhoushan vs Nanning: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Zhoushan and Nanning differ by about 1% in total monthly costs ($671 vs $680 including rent). Zhoushan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, Nanning earns 10% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $308 in Zhoushan versus $231 in Nanning. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

A monthly transit pass in Zhoushan runs roughly 14% less than in Nanning. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $744 in Zhoushan versus $302 in Nanning. Over years of preschool, even a modest monthly gap compounds into a major financial factor for families.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Zhoushan gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Zhoushan gentler on the wallet – expenses run 1% less than in Nanning. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.