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: $665 in Zhoushan versus $688 in Nanning.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,060 in Zhoushan versus $1,096 in Nanning.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,454 in Zhoushan versus $1,504 in Nanning.

Living in Zhoushan costs roughly 3% less than in Nanning, driven mainly by Sport & Entertainment.

Both cities sit below the global median: Zhoushan 50% lower, Nanning 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.18 ¥21.49

$2.72 ¥18.39

16.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$17.40 ¥118

$19.41 ¥131

-10.36%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.98 ¥33.74

$5.33 ¥36.09

-6.57%

Cappuccino

$2.83 ¥19.13

$2.28 ¥15.42

24.12%

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

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.54 ¥3.68

-20.37%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.27 ¥1.84

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ¥6.31

$0.87 ¥5.92

6.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.37 ¥9.26

$2.23 ¥15.12

-38.57%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.05 ¥13.89

$1.72 ¥11.64

19.19%

White Bread (500g)

$2.50 ¥16.95

$1.10 ¥7.46

127.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$0.98 ¥6.65

-11.22%

Eggs

$1.02 ¥6.91

$1.55 ¥10.51

-34.19%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$20.40 ¥138

$9.34 ¥63.2

118.42%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ¥24.70

$3.35 ¥22.69

8.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.86 ¥53.2

$15.20 ¥103

-48.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.37 ¥9.28

$1.87 ¥12.68

-26.74%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.68

$1.10 ¥7.42

2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.42 ¥9.60

$1.25 ¥8.48

13.60%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.09 ¥7.35

$1.64 ¥11.07

-33.54%

Potato (1kg)

$0.54 ¥3.68

$0.87 ¥5.88

-37.93%

Onion (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.47

$1.08 ¥7.30

-25.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.55 ¥3.73

$0.46 ¥3.12

19.57%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.43

$0.50 ¥3.41

2.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.08 ¥27.59

$3.41 ¥23.07

19.65%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.14 ¥75.4

$14.62 ¥99.0

-23.80%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.34

$0.84 ¥5.70

11.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.73 ¥18.45

$1.80 ¥12.17

51.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.48 ¥3.22

-43.75%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$16.90 ¥114

$14.42 ¥97.6

17.20%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.56 ¥10.58

$1.28 ¥8.64

21.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.37

$0.36 ¥2.45

-2.78%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.27 ¥56.0

$7.68 ¥52.0

7.68%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.60

$1.14 ¥7.71

-1.75%

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

$21.0K ¥141.8K

$21.0K ¥142.3K

-0.34%

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

$15.2K ¥102.6K

$12.4K ¥84.0K

22.14%

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

$45.75 ¥310

$39.32 ¥266

16.35%

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

$15.31 ¥104

$13.30 ¥90.0

15.11%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.68 ¥79.1

$11.15 ¥75.5

4.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.24 ¥157

$69.3 ¥469

-66.47%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.87 ¥46.47

$7.07 ¥47.88

-2.83%

Cinema Ticket

$6.12 ¥41.41

$5.65 ¥38.25

8.32%

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

$754 ¥5,102

$297 ¥2,010

153.86%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.8K ¥113.5K

$13.9K ¥93.8K

20.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.5 ¥362

$18.76 ¥127

185.18%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.47 ¥240

$28.07 ¥190

26.36%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$69.3 ¥469

$64.6 ¥437

7.21%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$93.0 ¥629

$103 ¥699

-9.97%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$302 ¥2,046

$235 ¥1,591

28.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$112 ¥761

$146 ¥985

-22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$689 ¥4,663

$356 ¥2,412

93.33%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$248 ¥1,678

$273 ¥1,850

-9.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,955 ¥20.0K

$3,397 ¥23.0K

-13.01%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,956 ¥13.2K

$1,447 ¥9,796

35.14%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$587 ¥3,973

$659 ¥4,457

-10.86%

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: July 11, 2026

Last update for Nanning: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $302 in Zhoushan and $235 in Nanning. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Nanning pays 12% 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 $225 vs $208, 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 3% in total monthly costs ($665 vs $688 including rent). Zhoushan is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

On paper, salaries run 12% 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: $302 in Zhoushan versus $235 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 17% less than in Nanning. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Childcare runs $754 in Zhoushan versus $297 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 3% less than in Nanning. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.