By S. Moore An expat in Hangzhou for over ten years
Introduction:
Welcome to Hangzhou, a vibrant and modern city located in eastern China. Hangzhou is about a one-hour train ride east of Shanghai. As a newly arrived expat, you'll find yourself immersed in a unique blend of traditional Chinese culture and modern urban living. While there are many benefits to living in Hangzhou - especially if you’re a lover of green, gardens, hiking, and, especially tea, there are some challenges and frustrations being an expat in the city. This article aims to provide you with an overview of essential aspects that expats typically care about when settling into Hangzhou.
Weather:
Hangzhou generally experiences a humid subtropical climate. Summers are hot, humid, and rainy, while winters are mild and relatively dry.
In Hangzhou, the average maximum temperature in summer (June to August) ranges from 32°C (90°F) to 35°C (95°F). The city receives abundant rainfall during this period, primarily due to the East Asian monsoon.
Okay, so here is one of the frustrating realities of living in the city. The summers can be sticky and sweaty. Most of us choose these months to be traveling within or without China. There are several outdoor pools around the city that are popular with expats during the hot months.
Autumn (September to November) is characterized by mild temperatures and less rainfall. The average maximum temperature gradually decreases from around 30°C (86°F) in September to 17°C (63°F) in November. This period is generally considered pleasant with comfortable weather.
Winter (December to February) in Hangzhou is mild compared to other parts of China, with average maximum temperatures ranging from 9°C (48°F) to 12°C (54°F). Snowfall is rare and typically light.
Spring (March to May) brings an increase in temperatures and rainfall. Average maximum temperatures rise from around 14°C (57°F) in March to 23°C (73°F) in May. Spring is also a season of frequent cloud cover and intermittent rain showers.
While we do get a fair amount of rain, aside from the hot months of summer, when we have dry days, the weather is really good in Hangzhou. Like jacket weather can be anywhere from November to April as summer tapers off and picks up again.
Cost of Living:
Hangzhou offers a relatively affordable lifestyle for expatriates. While living costs may vary depending on your preferences and lifestyle choices, the city generally provides a good balance between quality and affordability. Compared to other major Chinese cities like Beijing and Shanghai, Hangzhou's cost of living is often considered more reasonable.
Housing: Rental prices can fluctuate depending on the area and type of accommodation. Popular neighborhoods in Shangcheng and Gongshu Districts may have higher rental costs due to their central location and proximity to amenities.
You can expect to pay a minimum of 3000RMB a month ( for a small-sized studio) and then upwards to 50,000RMB a month depending on the location, size, and facilities of the apartment you choose.
Hangzhou PLUS Housing is a housing agency dedicated to helping expats rent properties in Hangzhou. Their English-speaking agents are professional and helpful. You can search apartment options on their website (http://www.hangzhouhomes.com), or add them on WeChat ( plushousing) to talk to them directly.
Transportation: Hangzhou boasts an efficient and affordable public transportation system. The metro, buses, and shared bikes are convenient options for getting around the city without breaking the bank - you’ll on average 3-6RMB per ride on these. Car hailing services available through Alipay will cost anywhere from 10-100RMB depending on the length of your trip.
Food: Eating costs really depend on the individual. You can get a good local lunch and a drink for 10-20RMB or you can pay upwards of 200RMB for a steak and beer at one of the western places in the city, like Blue Frog. Hippo is a great supermarket that you can visit in person or order using a food delivery app. It offers, I’d say 90% of the things you might be missing from back home and a wide variety of local and other Asian groceries. With a mix of Western and local groceries, you might be 200- 500 RMB a week to stock up your cupboards and fridge.
Accessibility to Living Options:
Living in Hangzhou provides expatriates with easy access to various amenities that contribute to a convenient and fulfilling lifestyle. But, depending on where you live, you might have to do some exploring. There are new cafes, restaurants, parks and pedestrian streets opening all the time. A bit later I’ll share a few ways to learn more about what’s going on in the city.
Gyms and Sports Facilities: The city offers a multitude of gyms and sports centers, catering to various fitness interests and preferences. As you get situated, you might try an app called LeFit (乐刻) which allows you to pay a monthly fee for 24-hour access to a chain of gyms that are all over Hangzhou and other cities. This costs about 150RMB a month and can be canceled anytime. Typical yearly memberships to gyms cost from 2000-4000RMB a year depending on the brand.
Shopping: Malls are everywhere and new ones are opening all the time. Depending on your preference, you will have no problem finding one-stop shopping for clothing, groceries, and other goods. But you can also find lots of local markets, food fairs like Lajijie (垃圾街), old streets like Hefang Rd (河坊街), and night markets like the one on Wushan Rd (吴山夜场). For electronics, I highly recommend the Ego Market on Huanggu Shan Lu (黄姑山路,颐高数码). Look for Joey’s stall in the basement. He and his staff service hundreds of us, with great deals on Apple products and English-speaking service.
International Food and Beverage Options: While it doesn’t always feel like it, Hangzhou does boast hundreds of international options. The key is finding them. Bon App is a great English platform managed by a long-time expat local who does a fantastic job of publishing reviews and articles of all the F&B: Western, Japanese, Korean, and Southeast Asian, in addition to experiencing authentic Chinese flavors around the city.
Key Apps and Platforms to Connect and Learn More:
Alipay is a popular mobile payment app that also lets you book movie tickets, taxis, and rides and transfer money - albeit domestically.
Taobao is a widely used e-commerce platform and it basically has EVERYTHING we need.
Trip.com is a travel booking app that you can use in English together with WeChat and Alipay payment options and book all your travel needs domestically and abroad.
Dianping is a restaurant and lifestyle review app and while it’s only in Chinese, with some exploring you can quickly learn to see what people nearby have been posting and enjoying and how to search for F&B options based on a variety of search parameters: distance, reviews, cost, type of cuisine, etc.
WeChat is a comprehensive messaging and social media platform commonly used for payments, communication, and more in China.
One thing when it comes to making sure all these apps and platforms work seamlessly is to make sure your name is registered identically across them all - and this includes your mobile phone number. Many of us have had trouble when a first name was registered with WeChat payment before the last name but the opposite on our bank card registration which makes it challenging for adding new cards to already registered payment systems.
Conclusion:
As you think about relocating to Hangzhou, be prepared to embrace the city's rich cultural heritage, modern amenities, and greenery but also understand the pace of living is a bit slower than places like Shanghai and Beijing, and honestly, be ready for some humidity. If you are a curious, explorer, you will always find something to interest you - from hiking trails, to fantastic small local and international eateries on Zhongshan Rd, to a used-goods market up north, to a club in the side of a rock - yep, or an Italian ‘speakeasy’ restaurant. As you prepare for a move, if you’re already on WeChat and FB, you should be able to search out some groups of Hangzhou Expats to connect with foreigners already in the city. There are many: sports, buying and selling, education, whiskey, and food and drink. So definitely take the time to connect and learn more which will really help you enjoy your time in Hangzhou, and may your experiences be memorable and fulfilling.