Head to head · 2025
Hefei vs Nanjing
Neighbours with a wide gap in consumer depth despite similar growth.
Nanjing leads by 10.6 points. The gap comes mostly from digital reach (20.6 points).
| Metric | Hefei | Nanjing |
|---|---|---|
| Entry index0–100, relative to the scored set | 53.2 | 63.8 |
| Rankof 51 scored cities | #18 | #12 |
| Digital reach | 47.3 | 67.9 |
| Consumer depth | 58.3 | 74.8 |
| Market scale | 68.0 | 72.0 |
| Policy access | 30.0 | 20.0 |
| Population | 9.8M | 9.6M |
| GDP | $200B | $261B |
| GDP per resident | ¥144.3k | ¥193.7k |
| Disposable incomeurban residents, per year | ¥48.0k | ¥69.0k |
| Real GDP growth | 6% | 5% |
| WeChat penetration% of internet users | 93% | 95% |
| Douyin penetration% of internet users | 79% | 76% |
| Xiaohongshu penetration% of internet users | 42% | 50% |
Where the scores separate
- Digital reach: Nanjing leads Hefei by 20.6 points (67.9 against 47.3).
- Consumer depth: Nanjing leads Hefei by 16.5 points (74.8 against 58.3).
- Policy access: Hefei leads Nanjing by 10.0 points (30.0 against 20.0).
- Market scale: Nanjing leads Hefei by 4.0 points (72.0 against 68.0).
Pillar scores are percentile ranks inside the published set; policy is scored on an absolute 0–100 scale. A gap under three points should not drive a decision. How the index is built.
Hefei 合肥
Anhui · T1_5 · east
Key industries
New energy vehicles (… · Semiconductors · Quantum tech · Home appliances (BOE)
Commercial districts
Hefei Binhu CBD, Wanda Plaza, Yaohai district.
Consumption profile
China's fastest-rising tech city ('the city that dares to invest'). Young tech workforce with rising premium consumption.
Full Hefei profile →Nanjing 南京
Jiangsu · T1_5 · east
Key industries
Software & IT · Automotive · Education (top univer… · Finance
Commercial districts
Xinjiekou, Deji Plaza (luxury), Confucius Temple (tourism), Hexi CBD.
Consumption profile
Historic capital with strong university culture (Nanjing University, SEU). High education spending, refined taste for culture and premium brands.
Full Nanjing profile →Questions people ask
- Is Hefei or Nanjing the better first city for a brand?
- Hefei scores 53.2 and Nanjing scores 63.8 on the YIVA China City Entry Index, out of a 51-city set. Nanjing leads overall. The score compares reach, spending power, size and policy access only — it cannot see competition, media cost or whether your category has demand in either city, so treat it as a shortlist filter rather than a verdict.
- Which is bigger, Hefei or Nanjing?
- By gross regional product, Nanjing is larger ($261B against $200B) and has a population of 9.8M versus 9.6M for Hefei. Market size is only 25% of the entry index.
- Are these scores comparable with last year's?
- No. Digital reach, consumer depth and market scale are percentile ranks within the published city set, so adding or removing a city moves every score. Compare two cities inside the same release, never across releases.
Other comparisons
Cite this page
YIVA Digital. “Hefei vs Nanjing: China City Entry Index comparison.” YIVA Digital, 2025. https://yivadigital.com/tool/china-market-guide/compare/hefei-vs-nanjing
Scores are relative to the published city set in this release and are not comparable across releases.