Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Canada and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $2,217 per month in Canada vs $720 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,254 per month in Canada vs $1,148 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,291 per month in Canada vs $1,576 in China, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 208% higher than in China on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 61% above the global median, while China is 48% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($912–$3,779) than in China ($468–$1,236), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.28 CA$25.35

$2.93 ¥19.60

523.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$71.2 CA$98.8

$22.72 ¥152

213.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.96 CA$15.20

$5.07 ¥33.95

116.17%

Cappuccino

$3.95 CA$5.47

$2.94 ¥19.70

34.35%

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

$2.07 CA$2.88

$0.48 ¥3.21

331.25%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.42

$0.30 ¥2.02

480.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.23

$1.06 ¥7.10

459.43%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.69 CA$7.89

$2.25 ¥15.07

152.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.23 CA$3.09

$1.79 ¥11.99

24.58%

White Bread (500g)

$2.71 CA$3.76

$1.70 ¥11.35

59.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.72 CA$5.16

$0.96 ¥6.45

287.50%

Eggs

$3.61 CA$5.01

$1.61 ¥10.79

124.22%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$10.81 CA$14.99

$13.60 ¥91.1

-20.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.22 CA$16.95

$3.41 ¥22.84

258.36%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.68 CA$21.75

$11.07 ¥74.2

41.64%

Apples (1kg)

$4.25 CA$5.89

$1.81 ¥12.09

134.81%

Banana (1kg)

$1.43 CA$1.98

$1.30 ¥8.74

10.00%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.02 CA$5.57

$1.48 ¥9.91

171.62%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.09 CA$5.67

$1.30 ¥8.72

214.62%

Potato (1kg)

$2.68 CA$3.72

$0.72 ¥4.82

272.22%

Onion (1kg)

$2.45 CA$3.40

$0.94 ¥6.31

160.64%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.67 CA$3.70

$0.61 ¥4.08

337.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 CA$2.50

$0.56 ¥3.73

221.43%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.46 CA$20.05

$3.67 ¥24.58

294.01%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.58 CA$18.84

$11.90 ¥79.7

14.12%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.84 CA$3.94

$0.83 ¥5.56

242.17%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 CA$4.52

$1.65 ¥11.08

97.58%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.46 CA$3.41

$0.29 ¥1.92

748.28%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$75.2 CA$104

$22.61 ¥151

232.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.15 CA$4.37

$1.45 ¥9.72

117.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.54 CA$2.14

$0.34 ¥2.31

352.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$27.55 CA$38.21

$7.27 ¥48.72

278.95%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 CA$1.61

$1.23 ¥8.26

-5.69%

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

$28.4K CA$39.3K

$19.5K ¥130.9K

45.18%

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

$19.5K CA$27.0K

$17.2K ¥115.5K

12.87%

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

$155 CA$215

$55.5 ¥371

179.30%

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

$43.47 CA$60.3

$8.51 ¥57.0

410.81%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$60.4 CA$83.8

$10.81 ¥72.4

458.93%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$41.15 CA$57.1

$40.02 ¥268

2.82%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$19.79 CA$27.45

$14.80 ¥99.1

33.72%

Cinema Ticket

$11.53 CA$15.98

$6.73 ¥45.09

71.32%

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

$786 CA$1,089

$454 ¥3,042

72.97%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$14.8K CA$20.6K

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-24.12%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.0 CA$76.3

$44.95 ¥301

22.34%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.25 CA$57.2

$35.81 ¥240

15.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.1 CA$122

$76.8 ¥514

14.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$147

$77.3 ¥518

37.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,295 CA$1,797

$385 ¥2,581

236.14%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,168 CA$1,619

$242 ¥1,623

381.96%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,044 CA$2,835

$837 ¥5,603

144.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,779 CA$2,467

$474 ¥3,177

275.01%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,786 CA$6,638

$4,619 ¥30.9K

3.62%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,973 CA$5,510

$2,316 ¥15.5K

71.53%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,078 CA$4,270

$1,062 ¥7,110

189.97%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.86

3.47

40.06%

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

Last update for Canada: September 8, 2026

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,228 in Canada vs $295 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,496 in Ottawa and $957 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $2,981 in Canada vs $865 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 316% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 214% more in Canada.

Public transport is 253% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 245% higher in Canada, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Canada.

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

Canada vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

China is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 175% lower on average. The gap is consistent across housing, groceries, transport, and entertainment.

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

Groceries, transport, and utilities all cost less in China, contributing to the overall 175% price gap. The savings show up everywhere – from supermarket receipts to monthly bills.

$2,000 buys a comfortable lifestyle in China, but in Canada it only works with careful planning outside the capital. Same money, very different lives.

China 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.