Guides
Hangzhou guides and blog for expats
Practical guides for anyone moving to Hangzhou: how renting works, where to live, and the paperwork.
Moving and renting
Moving to Hangzhou: your first-week checklist
Everything foreigners need in their first week in Hangzhou: visa basics, police registration, residence permit, SIM card, Alipay and WeChat Pay, bank account, apps and getting around.
Read the guide →Guide · RentingRenting an apartment in Hangzhou as a foreigner
How foreigners rent an apartment in Hangzhou: documents, viewings, checking the landlord, deposits and lease terms, police registration and the costs to expect.
Read the guide →Guide · RentingLease and deposit checklist: how to avoid rental problems in Hangzhou
A checklist for foreigners signing a lease in Hangzhou: checking the landlord, deposit and payment terms, inventory, early termination, deposit return and common rental scams.
Read the guide →Guide · Short-term staysShort-term rentals and serviced apartments in Hangzhou
How foreigners find a furnished short-term rental in Hangzhou for one to six months: serviced apartments, monthly rentals, prices, registration rules and what to check.
Read the guide →Guide · PaperworkPolice registration for foreigners in Hangzhou
How foreigners register their accommodation in Hangzhou within 24 hours: online via NIA 12367 or at the police station, documents needed, and what happens if you forget.
Read the guide →Guide · CostsCost of living in Hangzhou for expats
What it costs to live in Hangzhou in 2026: rent by area, utilities, internet, phone, food, transport, international school fees and sample monthly budgets for expats.
Read the guide →Neighborhoods
The best areas to live in Hangzhou for expats
Where expats live in Hangzhou: Binjiang, Qianjiang New City, West Lake, Wulin, Gongshu, Future Sci-Tech City, Xiaoshan and Qiantang compared, with typical rents.
Read the guide →Guide · NeighborhoodsLiving in Binjiang: an expat guide
What it is like to live in Binjiang, Hangzhou: who it suits, Hangzhou International School, tech companies, riverside parks, compounds, rents and getting around.
Read the guide →Guide · NeighborhoodsLiving in Qianjiang New City, Hangzhou's CBD
An expat guide to Qianjiang New City (Uptown), Hangzhou's central business district: serviced apartments, river views, malls, metro, rents and who it suits.
Read the guide →Guide · NeighborhoodsRenting near Alibaba and Future Sci-Tech City
Where to rent an apartment near Alibaba's Xixi campus and Future Sci-Tech City in Yuhang, Hangzhou: neighbourhoods, commute, rents and tips for tech workers.
Read the guide →Guide · FamiliesWhere to live near international schools in Hangzhou
A family guide to renting near international schools in Hangzhou: Hangzhou International School in Binjiang, other schools, commute tips, compound features and rents.
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