Cost of Living in China - Updated Prices & Insights

Name: China
Address: CN

Solo nomad: Estimated monthly costs are $499 (excluding rent), and $786 including rent.

Family of 3: Estimated monthly costs are $1,162 (excluding rent), and $1,766 including rent.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.77 ¥19.31

$2.07 ¥14.46

$6.90 ¥48.17

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.14 ¥169

$15.63 ¥109

$49.71 ¥347

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 ¥33.15

$4.08 ¥28.45

$6.39 ¥44.58

Cappuccino

$3.02 ¥21.06

$1.37 ¥9.60

$4.82 ¥33.62

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

$0.44 ¥3.06

$0.39 ¥2.73

$1.62 ¥11.31

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.87

$0.24 ¥1.67

$0.72 ¥5.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.96 ¥6.67

$0.69 ¥4.81

$2.75 ¥19.18

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥14.21

$1.35 ¥9.45

$4.07 ¥28.42

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥12.21

$1.34 ¥9.36

$2.71 ¥18.92

White Bread (500g)

$1.69 ¥11.79

$0.86 ¥6.00

$3.56 ¥24.87

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.85

$0.55 ¥3.86

$1.60 ¥11.15

Eggs

$1.60 ¥11.19

$0.85 ¥5.91

$2.53 ¥17.66

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.34 ¥93.1

$6.38 ¥44.57

$28.36 ¥198

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ¥22.82

$1.52 ¥10.61

$5.53 ¥38.63

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.63 ¥74.2

$5.53 ¥38.58

$16.58 ¥116

Apples (1kg)

$1.74 ¥12.16

$0.68 ¥4.75

$2.71 ¥18.95

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.76

$0.76 ¥5.31

$2.76 ¥19.25

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ¥10.13

$0.55 ¥3.83

$3.14 ¥21.90

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.28

$0.57 ¥3.96

$1.98 ¥13.80

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥5.08

$0.28 ¥1.92

$1.37 ¥9.54

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.99

$0.40 ¥2.79

$1.59 ¥11.11

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.30

$0.29 ¥2.04

$1.16 ¥8.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.71

$0.35 ¥2.43

$0.81 ¥5.66

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.44 ¥24.03

$2.76 ¥19.27

$4.82 ¥33.63

Wine (Bottle)

$11.63 ¥81.2

$5.82 ¥40.63

$21.81 ¥152

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.88

$0.44 ¥3.05

$1.45 ¥10.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥11.30

$0.96 ¥6.69

$2.76 ¥19.23

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.07

$0.29 ¥2.05

$0.73 ¥5.12

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.71 ¥145

$12.42 ¥86.7

$41.41 ¥289

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.42 ¥9.91

$1.13 ¥7.92

$2.28 ¥15.90

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.27

$0.26 ¥1.80

$0.45 ¥3.14

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.51 ¥45.42

$4.07 ¥28.42

$10.85 ¥75.8

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.17 ¥8.19

$1.06 ¥7.41

$1.26 ¥8.76

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

$19.2K ¥133.9K

$16.4K ¥114.7K

$20.5K ¥143.4K

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

$16.6K ¥116.1K

$13.7K ¥95.9K

$20.6K ¥143.9K

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

$51.4 ¥359

$29.80 ¥208

$92.7 ¥647

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

$9.63 ¥67.2

$4.07 ¥28.39

$17.34 ¥121

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.22 ¥78.3

$6.91 ¥48.21

$20.73 ¥145

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.09 ¥273

$13.66 ¥95.4

$109 ¥763

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.70 ¥103

$6.91 ¥48.25

$27.66 ¥193

Cinema Ticket

$6.14 ¥42.89

$4.77 ¥33.31

$8.19 ¥57.2

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

$416 ¥2,905

$212 ¥1,479

$1,304 ¥9,101

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.9K ¥125.0K

$8,511 ¥59.4K

$35.5K ¥247.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.24 ¥316

$17.82 ¥124

$96.0 ¥670

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.59 ¥228

$13.81 ¥96.4

$55.2 ¥385

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.0 ¥509

$42.37 ¥296

$113 ¥789

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.8 ¥508

$41.06 ¥287

$137 ¥955

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$432 ¥3,018

$207 ¥1,444

$990 ¥6,913

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$253 ¥1,767

$138 ¥960

$556 ¥3,882

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$923 ¥6,441

$422 ¥2,946

$2,515 ¥17.6K

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$546 ¥3,811

$282 ¥1,967

$1,203 ¥8,398

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,324 ¥37.2K

$2,214 ¥15.5K

$14.5K ¥100.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,784 ¥19.4K

$1,316 ¥9,187

$7,181 ¥50.1K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,037 ¥7,240

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

5.2

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

Last update: January 11, 2026

By City in China

Lowest

Highest

Rank	City	Population	Living Index	Solo costs (no rent) / month	Solo costs (with rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (no rent) / month	Family of 3 costs (with rent) / month	Mobile download speed (Mbps)	Internet download speed (Mbps)
1	Ankang	894853	33	$412	$646	$1,001	$1,431	342.83	351.61
2	Anqing	4165284	33	$424	$645	$1,224	$1,389	295.27	301.84
3	Anshan	1543696	28	$437	$553	$958	$1,209	57.56	412.01
4	Anyang	1147000	34	$465	$677	$995	$1,518	59.26	250.75
5	Baiquan	-	36	$448	$716	$1,227	$1,573	95.81	315.71
6	Baoding	11437217	29	$463	$578	$961	$1,232	112.63	585.72
7	Baoji	1438000	32	$398	$635	$918	$1,349	193.39	297.43
8	Baotou	2709378	37	$507	$741	$1,098	$1,625	24.69	251.03
9	Beihai	1617500	36	$549	$715	$1,082	$1,579	39.29	133.62
10	Beijing (Pekin)	21893095	54	$562	$1,081	$1,356	$2,547	26.15	193.97
11	Bengbu	3296408	33	$410	$665	$1,218	$1,450	56.34	315.44
12	Benxi	809655	33	$415	$665	$913	$1,225	202.97	298.63
13	Binzhou	3748500	39	$555	$790	$1,253	$1,704	148.91	290.16
14	Bortala	246706	36	$417	$723	$1,127	$1,526	106.53	86.26
15	Bozhou	1537231	34	$500	$684	$1,233	$1,505	317.25	421.6
16	Changchun	9066906	37	$449	$748	$932	$1,522	190.43	233.36
17	Changde	5717200	34	$491	$672	$1,186	$1,425	67.81	48.28
18	Changsha	5289000	38	$537	$768	$1,267	$1,670	65.89	206.52
19	Changshu	1677050	36	$482	$717	$1,130	$1,542	36.86	350.28
20	Changzhou	5278121	35	$440	$699	$1,177	$1,603	180.3	342.73
21	Chaozhou	2568387	31	$427	$633	$1,077	$1,381	295.1	69.19
22	Chengdu	20937757	34	$466	$681	$1,114	$1,516	31.7	100.94
23	Chenzhou	4667134	36	$465	$730	$1,062	$1,575	40.22	184.42
24	Chifeng	1175391	36	$469	$714	$1,150	$1,554	34.75	356.19
25	Chongqing	1564449	31	$425	$621	$1,041	$1,373	69.96	84.52
26	Chuzhou	3987054	34	$395	$675	$1,174	$1,497	289.77	349.58
27	Cixi	1829488	36	$483	$710	$1,152	$1,522	285.36	367.61
28	Dalian	7450785	40	$611	$798	$1,155	$1,707	250.73	399.36
29	Datong	3318057	36	$487	$708	$1,165	$1,567	0.76	333.17
30	Dongguan	8254100	38	$489	$756	$1,084	$1,654	206.67	131.01
31	Dongying	2035300	36	$484	$720	$1,149	$1,561	27.44	331.03
32	Foshan	9498863	37	$531	$743	$1,268	$1,633	104.96	191.34
33	Fushun	1322098	36	$420	$724	$999	$1,553	118.15	341.03
34	Fuzhou	8291268	40	$517	$790	$1,462	$1,700	260.84	207.37
35	Gongzhuling	862313	29	$309	$582	$747	$1,235	291.09	422.25
36	Guangzhou (Canton)	14043500	43	$525	$876	$1,298	$1,943	118.61	127.82
37	Guilin	4931137	34	$406	$677	$1,206	$1,490	60.18	161.53
38	Guiyang	4324561	36	$487	$714	$1,143	$1,563	86.57	195.21
39	Guizhou	-	29	$474	$572	$1,173	$1,284	118.55	226.24
40	Haikou	2873358	39	$400	$784	$1,226	$1,615	75.32	118.35
41	Handan	9413990	35	$484	$706	$1,055	$1,533	76.16	312.1
42	Hangzhou	10360000	45	$545	$890	$1,327	$2,058	83.13	364.06
43	Hanzhong	3416196	33	$392	$657	$1,040	$1,443	77.09	414.59
44	Harbin	10009854	44	$662	$886	$1,362	$1,960	329.07	346.89
45	Hefei	9369881	37	$516	$738	$1,217	$1,621	238.31	345.93
46	Heyuan	2953019	38	$433	$762	$1,275	$1,635	52.52	131.07
47	Heze	8795939	36	$417	$710	$987	$1,559	168.07	333.94
48	Hohhot	3446100	35	$529	$707	$1,297	$1,553	229.52	428
49	Huai'an	4799889	36	$476	$712	$1,127	$1,555	126.97	286.1
50	Huaibei	1970265	36	$469	$701	$1,132	$1,576	141.21	421.91

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Cost of Living in China - Frequently Asked Questions

In China, affordability shifts by city, neighborhood, and lifestyle. The Cost of Living in China varies from ultramodern metropolises to quieter towns, so you’ll find both budget-friendly and premium options depending on where you stay. Expats and digital nomads often value housing with good transit links, nearby cafes or coworking spaces, and access to local markets for groceries. Food and transport tend to be efficient and affordable when you favor public transit and street-food-style meals over tourist hubs. Seasonal tourism can tweak prices for short-term stays, but flexibility and planning pay off. Tip: map your must-haves first, then test different areas to balance cost and daily comfort.

In big cities, housing options range from apartment-sharing to polished rentals, often with upfront deposits and negotiation windows; in smaller cities, searches can be quicker and rents more flexible. Daily life leans on local markets, convenience stores, and a robust dining scene, with regional flavors to explore. Transport is well-developed: metros, buses, and bikes are common; ride-hailing is convenient for longer trips. Co-working spaces vary from compact studios to larger hubs with amenities. Errands mix online apps and in-person trips; most payments move through digital wallets. China living cost trends downshift in secondary towns, but seasonality and event periods can shift you a notch. Tip: schedule a few exploratory days in different neighborhoods before committing.

Quality of life in China hinges on pace, access to everyday services, and the blend of city energy with nearby nature. Build a simple budgeting framework: separate fixed costs (housing, utilities) from flexible expenses (food, entertainment), and track irregulars by season. Neighborhood fit matters: prefer areas with walkability, good public transit, and a mix of cafes, markets, and parks. Seasonal patterns influence crowds, travel deals, and service availability, so factor holidays and climate when planning longer stays. Side tips: use local homestays or serviced apartments for longer trials and take advantage of coworking communities to network. Tip: choose a neighborhood that minimizes daily commutes and maximizes access to what you value most.