Cost of Living Comparison Between Burkina Faso and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Burkina Faso and China

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $515 per month in Burkina Faso vs $712 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $835 per month in Burkina Faso vs $1,132 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,154 per month in Burkina Faso vs $1,551 in China, rent included.

Burkina Faso is roughly 28% cheaper than China on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Both Burkina Faso and China are more affordable than the global median – Burkina Faso 62% lower, China 47% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.16 F CFA 2,907
$2.81 ¥18.98
83.63%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.46 F CFA 13.2K
$23.30 ¥158
0.69%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$8.08 F CFA 4,559
$5.01 ¥33.87
61.28%
Cappuccino
$1.74 F CFA 979
$3.01 ¥20.38
-42.19%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.80 F CFA 449
$0.45 ¥3.03
77.78%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.54 F CFA 307
$0.29 ¥1.97
86.21%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.07 F CFA 604
$0.95 ¥6.41
12.63%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.82 F CFA 1,024
$2.05 ¥13.87
-11.22%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.77 F CFA 1,562
$1.76 ¥11.87
57.39%
White Bread (500g)
$0.92 F CFA 517
$1.62 ¥10.98
-43.21%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.02 F CFA 573
$0.95 ¥6.45
7.37%
Eggs
$3.07 F CFA 1,729
$1.56 ¥10.55
96.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$17.50 F CFA 9,868
$13.06 ¥88.3
34.00%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$20.91 F CFA 11.8K
$3.28 ¥22.17
537.50%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$12.64 F CFA 7,126
$10.65 ¥72.0
18.69%
Apples (1kg)
$4.37 F CFA 2,462
$1.78 ¥12.03
145.51%
Banana (1kg)
$1.40 F CFA 789
$1.24 ¥8.42
12.90%
Oranges (1kg)
$0.98 F CFA 550
$1.50 ¥10.12
-34.67%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.40 F CFA 1,352
$1.15 ¥7.79
108.70%
Potato (1kg)
$2.28 F CFA 1,284
$0.75 ¥5.07
204.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.29 F CFA 730
$0.86 ¥5.81
50.00%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.85 F CFA 481
$0.62 ¥4.17
37.10%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.35 F CFA 761
$0.56 ¥3.81
141.07%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$1.72 F CFA 970
$3.51 ¥23.76
-51.00%
Wine (Bottle)
$6.08 F CFA 3,431
$11.66 ¥78.9
-47.86%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.29 F CFA 727
$0.80 ¥5.40
61.25%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.40 F CFA 1,353
$1.66 ¥11.25
44.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.18 F CFA 102
$0.43 ¥2.93
-58.14%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
-
$20.86 ¥141
-
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$0.51 F CFA 288
$1.37 ¥9.26
-62.77%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$1.54 F CFA 869
$0.35 ¥2.38
340.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
-
$6.63 ¥44.82
-
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 F CFA 835
$1.14 ¥7.69
29.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$37.2K F CFA 21.0M
$19.2K ¥129.7K
93.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$36.4K F CFA 20.5M
$16.8K ¥113.4K
117.17%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$124 F CFA 69.8K
$51.2 ¥346
142.04%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$35.62 F CFA 20.1K
$10.16 ¥68.7
250.59%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$50.7 F CFA 28.6K
$11.51 ¥77.9
340.49%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$61.5 F CFA 34.7K
$40.53 ¥274
51.76%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$8.66 F CFA 4,886
$15.05 ¥102
-42.46%
Cinema Ticket
$8.90 F CFA 5,019
$6.10 ¥41.26
45.90%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$135 F CFA 76.1K
$402 ¥2,719
-66.45%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.7K F CFA 10.0M
$17.7K ¥119.5K
0.41%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
-
$45.57 ¥308
-
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
-
$33.26 ¥225
-
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
-
$72.6 ¥491
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
-
$74.5 ¥503
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$445 F CFA 250.8K
$429 ¥2,903
3.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$281 F CFA 158.4K
$257 ¥1,739
9.19%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,288 F CFA 726.4K
$895 ¥6,055
43.85%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$778 F CFA 438.9K
$541 ¥3,660
43.76%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$888 F CFA 500.8K
$5,015 ¥33.9K
-82.29%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$271 F CFA 152.7K
$2,469 ¥16.7K
-89.03%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Burkina Faso
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$596 F CFA 336.2K
$1,055 ¥7,132
-43.48%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
0
4.06
-

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

Last update for Burkina Faso: June 1, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $217 in Burkina Faso vs $286 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $433 in Ouagadougou and $916 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $622 in Burkina Faso vs $861 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 32% higher in China.

Dining out costs 75% more in China.

Salaries are 38% higher in China.

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
Burkina Faso vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Is Burkina Faso more expensive than China?
Burkina Faso is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 68% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.
Which country has higher housing costs?
Housing costs more in China, and the gap is biggest in capital cities. Regional towns show less difference, but China consistently has higher rents.
Which country is cheaper for everyday spending?
Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in Burkina Faso, contributing to the overall 68% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.
Is $1,500 a realistic budget in Burkina Faso or China?
$1,500 buys a comfortable lifestyle in Burkina Faso, but in China it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.
Should I move to Burkina Faso or China?
Burkina Faso 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.

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