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: $628 in Zhoushan versus $736 in Nanning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,015 in Zhoushan versus $1,154 in Nanning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,403 in Zhoushan versus $1,573 in Nanning.

Living in Zhoushan costs roughly 15% less than in Nanning, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zhoushan 54% lower, Nanning 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.35 ¥22.50

$3.02 ¥20.27

10.93%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.88 ¥127

$20.62 ¥138

-8.44%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.98 ¥26.68

$5.53 ¥37.11

-28.03%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥20.22

$2.39 ¥16.05

25.94%

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

$0.43 ¥2.89

$0.54 ¥3.61

-20.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.27 ¥1.79

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.71 ¥4.76

$0.93 ¥6.21

-23.66%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.56

$2.21 ¥14.80

-15.38%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.87 ¥12.53

$2.14 ¥14.38

-12.62%

White Bread (500g)

$2.08 ¥13.97

$2.20 ¥14.77

-5.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.87

$1.11 ¥7.42

-21.62%

Eggs

$1.05 ¥7.03

$1.98 ¥13.29

-46.97%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.35 ¥89.6

$10.27 ¥68.9

29.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.33 ¥22.33

$4.03 ¥27.03

-17.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.01 ¥73.9

$17.25 ¥116

-36.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.47 ¥9.83

$1.80 ¥12.08

-18.33%

Banana (1kg)

$1.17 ¥7.85

$1.33 ¥8.92

-12.03%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.51 ¥10.13

$1.47 ¥9.84

2.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.18 ¥7.92

$1.72 ¥11.53

-31.40%

Potato (1kg)

$0.58 ¥3.89

$0.92 ¥6.20

-36.96%

Onion (1kg)

$0.79 ¥5.30

$1.18 ¥7.90

-33.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 ¥4.23

$0.52 ¥3.52

21.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.91

$0.63 ¥4.22

-7.94%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.17 ¥34.71

$4.16 ¥27.88

24.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.06 ¥80.9

$15.10 ¥101

-20.13%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.12

$0.90 ¥6.02

1.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.17 ¥14.56

$1.55 ¥10.42

40.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.53 ¥3.57

-41.51%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$14.76 ¥99.0

$15.71 ¥105

-6.05%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ¥10.25

$1.33 ¥8.92

15.04%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.43 ¥2.88

$0.46 ¥3.12

-6.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$9.12 ¥61.2

$7.64 ¥51.3

19.37%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥7.84

$1.22 ¥8.20

-4.10%

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

$19.6K ¥131.8K

$23.0K ¥154.4K

-14.62%

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

$16.4K ¥110.0K

$13.6K ¥91.4K

20.42%

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

$35.86 ¥241

$33.81 ¥227

6.06%

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

$11.74 ¥78.8

$14.32 ¥96.1

-18.02%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$26.98 ¥181

$10.71 ¥71.9

151.91%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.40 ¥164

$74.1 ¥497

-67.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$7.57 ¥50.8

$7.54 ¥50.6

0.40%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥40.87

$6.52 ¥43.76

-6.60%

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

$438 ¥2,936

$292 ¥1,957

49.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.0K ¥107.4K

$4,482 ¥30.1K

257.23%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.56 ¥232

$19.42 ¥130

77.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$21.67 ¥145

$29.28 ¥197

-25.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$65.0 ¥436

$64.8 ¥435

0.29%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$44.55 ¥299

$72.1 ¥484

-38.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$325 ¥2,180

$252 ¥1,690

29.03%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$118 ¥795

$156 ¥1,048

-24.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$752 ¥5,043

$372 ¥2,494

102.19%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$263 ¥1,767

$287 ¥1,923

-8.08%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,948 ¥19.8K

$3,534 ¥23.7K

-16.57%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,969 ¥13.2K

$1,552 ¥10.4K

26.91%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$594 ¥3,983

$673 ¥4,514

-11.76%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.13

3.63

-13.77%

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

Last update for Zhoushan: August 29, 2026

Last update for Nanning: September 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $325 in Zhoushan and $252 in Nanning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanning pays 13% 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: $19.00 in Zhoushan vs $21.00 in Nanning for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $209 vs $242 per month, with Zhoushan cheaper across the board.

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 17% in total monthly costs ($628 vs $736 including rent). Zhoushan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 13% lower in Nanning. 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: $325 in Zhoushan versus $252 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 6% less than in Nanning. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $438 in Zhoushan versus $292 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 17% less than in Nanning. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.