Cost of Living Comparison Between American Samoa and China Cost of Living Comparison Between American Samoa and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $821 per month in American Samoa vs $712 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,411 per month in American Samoa vs $1,131 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $2,001 per month in American Samoa vs $1,550 in China, rent included.

American Samoa costs about 15% more than China on average — the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both American Samoa and China are more affordable than the global median – American Samoa 39% lower, China 47% lower.

American Samoa has a wider regional cost range ($821–$821) than China ($532–$1,187), so location matters more when choosing where to live in American Samoa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$25.37 $25.37

$2.75 ¥18.80

822.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$6.95 $6.95

$24.07 ¥165

-71.13%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ¥33.11

Cappuccino

$1.01 $1.01

$2.97 ¥20.29

-65.99%

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

$1.23 $1.23

$0.45 ¥3.05

173.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥2.00

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.05 $2.05

$1.00 ¥6.85

105.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.99 $1.99

$2.06 ¥14.11

-3.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.63 $2.63

$1.82 ¥12.46

44.51%

White Bread (500g)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.62 ¥11.07

81.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.39 $4.39

$0.91 ¥6.20

382.42%

Eggs

$4.45 $4.45

$1.54 ¥10.55

188.96%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.33 $10.33

$13.32 ¥91.1

-22.45%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ¥22.38

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.18 $11.18

$10.56 ¥72.2

5.87%

Apples (1kg)

$1.76 ¥12.01

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.91

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.93

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.16

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.83

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.23

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.89

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.65

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.44 $11.44

$3.50 ¥23.97

226.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.27 $15.27

$11.85 ¥81.1

28.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.72

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.89 $2.89

$1.68 ¥11.49

72.02%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.02 $2.02

$0.44 ¥3.00

359.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 ¥142

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.95 $4.95

$1.36 ¥9.28

263.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 ¥45.47

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.36 $1.36

$1.17 ¥7.99

16.24%

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

$19.1K ¥130.8K

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

$17.1K ¥117.2K

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

$52.0 ¥355

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

$29.74 $29.74

$9.65 ¥66.0

208.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$75.7 $75.7

$11.16 ¥76.3

578.32%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$49.82 $49.82

$40.48 ¥277

23.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$10.19 $10.19

$14.75 ¥101

-30.92%

Cinema Ticket

$9.18 $9.18

$6.35 ¥43.45

44.57%

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

$410 ¥2,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥121.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.08 ¥315

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.86 ¥225

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ¥487

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 ¥515

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$147 $147

$430 ¥2,942

-65.73%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$199 $199

$261 ¥1,784

-23.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$913 $913

$914 ¥6,254

-0.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$695 $695

$542 ¥3,711

28.16%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$17.6K $17.6K

$5,177 ¥35.4K

239.93%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$10.9K $10.9K

$2,630 ¥18.0K

314.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,199 $1,199

$1,060 ¥7,250

13.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

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

Last update for American Samoa: April 22, 2026

Last update for China: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $153 in American Samoa vs $287 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $153 in Pago Pago and $891 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $1,201 in American Samoa vs $833 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 88% higher in China.

Dining out costs 200% more in China.

Salaries are 44% higher in American Samoa, giving American Samoa stronger purchasing power.

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

American Samoa vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

American Samoa is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 5% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

Housing costs more in China, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but China consistently has higher rents.

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in American Samoa, contributing to the overall 5% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$1,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in American Samoa, but in China it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

American Samoa is the budget-friendly choice for expats – lower housing and daily costs. But cost isn't everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.