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 $2,319 per month in Canada vs $712 in China, rent included.

A couple spends around $3,378 per month in Canada vs $1,131 in China, rent included.

A family of three spends $4,437 per month in Canada vs $1,550 in China, rent included.

The cost of living in Canada is about 226% higher than in China on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

Canada sits 74% above the global median, while China is 47% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

The regional cost range is wider in Canada ($1,332–$3,143) than in China ($532–$1,192), so city choice matters more there.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$18.63 CA$26.21

$2.86 ¥19.32

551.40%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$74.0 CA$104

$23.44 ¥158

215.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$10.92 CA$15.37

$4.84 ¥32.70

125.62%

Cappuccino

$3.76 CA$5.29

$3.11 ¥21.03

20.90%

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

$2.19 CA$3.08

$0.44 ¥2.99

397.73%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.74 CA$2.44

$0.29 ¥1.99

500.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.93 CA$8.34

$0.98 ¥6.63

505.10%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.95 CA$8.38

$2.05 ¥13.86

190.24%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.28 CA$3.21

$1.84 ¥12.45

23.91%

White Bread (500g)

$2.67 CA$3.76

$1.62 ¥10.92

64.81%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.78 CA$5.32

$0.93 ¥6.27

306.45%

Eggs

$3.50 CA$4.92

$1.63 ¥11.01

114.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.70 CA$16.46

$13.15 ¥88.8

-11.03%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$12.30 CA$17.31

$3.26 ¥22.06

277.30%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$15.44 CA$21.73

$10.62 ¥71.8

45.39%

Apples (1kg)

$4.28 CA$6.02

$1.80 ¥12.17

137.78%

Banana (1kg)

$1.45 CA$2.04

$1.30 ¥8.76

11.54%

Oranges (1kg)

$4.01 CA$5.64

$1.46 ¥9.88

174.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.27 CA$6.00

$1.20 ¥8.13

255.83%

Potato (1kg)

$2.69 CA$3.78

$0.76 ¥5.13

253.95%

Onion (1kg)

$2.65 CA$3.72

$0.88 ¥5.93

201.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.64 CA$3.71

$0.57 ¥3.86

363.16%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.89 CA$2.66

$0.54 ¥3.62

250.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.77 CA$20.78

$3.42 ¥23.14

331.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.32 CA$18.74

$11.75 ¥79.4

13.36%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$2.96 CA$4.17

$0.80 ¥5.39

270.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.28 CA$4.61

$1.62 ¥10.94

102.47%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.62 CA$3.68

$0.43 ¥2.93

509.30%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$78.1 CA$110

$20.47 ¥138

281.53%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 CA$4.81

$1.36 ¥9.22

151.47%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.50 CA$2.10

$0.35 ¥2.39

328.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$29.07 CA$40.91

$6.50 ¥43.90

347.23%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.20 CA$1.69

$1.12 ¥7.58

7.14%

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

$25.5K CA$35.8K

$19.5K ¥131.6K

30.82%

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

$20.6K CA$28.9K

$16.9K ¥113.9K

21.95%

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

$152 CA$213

$51.7 ¥349

193.09%

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

$46.70 CA$65.7

$10.17 ¥68.7

359.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$61.8 CA$87.0

$11.16 ¥75.4

454.12%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$43.36 CA$61.0

$39.62 ¥268

9.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$18.05 CA$25.40

$14.53 ¥98.2

24.23%

Cinema Ticket

$11.51 CA$16.19

$6.38 ¥43.12

80.41%

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

$806 CA$1,134

$407 ¥2,752

97.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K CA$17.1K

$17.8K ¥120.5K

-31.93%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$55.4 CA$77.9

$45.53 ¥308

21.63%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$41.80 CA$58.8

$32.31 ¥218

29.37%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$89.7 CA$126

$72.6 ¥490

23.63%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$106 CA$149

$74.4 ¥503

42.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,329 CA$1,870

$443 ¥2,992

200.24%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,207 CA$1,698

$258 ¥1,745

367.32%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,112 CA$2,972

$910 ¥6,152

131.98%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,833 CA$2,579

$543 ¥3,672

237.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,639 CA$6,527

$4,934 ¥33.3K

-5.99%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$3,849 CA$5,415

$2,398 ¥16.2K

60.48%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$2,948 CA$4,148

$1,065 ¥7,194

176.92%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.33

4.06

55.91%

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

Last update for Canada: July 14, 2026

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

Average rent: $1,281 in Canada vs $287 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $1,481 in Ottawa and $894 in Beijing (Pekin).

Average salary: $2,904 in Canada vs $855 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 346% higher in Canada.

Dining out costs 224% more in Canada.

Public transport is 261% more expensive in Canada.

Salaries are 240% higher 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 160% 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 160% 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.