For one person, living is cheaper in China: $791 a month against $1,123 in Cape Verde, rent and utilities included – about $4,000 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Cape Verde and in China actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
A single person spends $1,123 per month in Cape Verde vs $791 in China, rent included.
Cape Verde $1,123
China $791
A couple spends around $1,700 per month in Cape Verde vs $1,251 in China, rent included.
Cape Verde $1,700
China $1,251
A family of three spends $2,276 per month in Cape Verde vs $1,711 in China, rent included.
Cape Verde $2,276
China $1,711
📏
Cost ranges are similar: Cape Verde spans $387–$1,195, China $465–$1,222. City choice affects budget similarly in either country.
🌍
The cost of living in Cape Verde is about 42% higher than in China on average.
📊
Both Cape Verde and China are more affordable than the global median – Cape Verde 18% lower, China 42% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Cape Verde
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.46CVE 540
$2.98¥19.84
83.22%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$53.4CVE 5,280
$22.09¥147
141.74%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$9.67CVE 956
$5.20¥34.66
85.96%
Cappuccino
$2.42CVE 239
$2.97¥19.77
-18.52%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12CVE 209
$0.48¥3.19
341.67%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.19CVE 117
$0.30¥2.01
296.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$3.00CVE 297
$1.08¥7.19
177.78%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.97CVE 195
$2.28¥15.18
-13.60%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Cape Verde
China
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.39CVE 137
$1.80¥11.98
-22.78%
White Bread(500g)
$1.71CVE 169
$1.68¥11.17
1.79%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$1.85CVE 183
$0.92¥6.14
101.09%
Eggs
$2.45CVE 242
$1.61¥10.75
52.17%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.30CVE 1,315
$13.38¥89.2
-0.60%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$8.68CVE 858
$3.35¥22.31
159.10%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$18.49CVE 1,828
$11.35¥75.7
62.91%
Apples(1kg)
$3.13CVE 310
$1.82¥12.14
71.98%
Banana(1kg)
$2.64CVE 261
$1.31¥8.71
101.53%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.95CVE 292
$1.49¥9.91
97.99%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.84CVE 380
$1.27¥8.49
202.36%
Potato(1kg)
$1.49CVE 147
$0.71¥4.74
109.86%
Onion(1kg)
$1.74CVE 172
$0.93¥6.22
87.10%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.25CVE 124
$0.62¥4.12
101.61%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$1.22CVE 121
$0.56¥3.75
117.86%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$4.97CVE 492
$3.78¥25.19
31.48%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.00CVE 791
$12.13¥80.9
-34.05%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.06CVE 204
$0.83¥5.55
148.19%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.79CVE 177
$1.68¥11.23
6.55%
🚌 Getting Around
Cape Verde
China
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.89CVE 87.7
$0.29¥1.92
206.90%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$30.02CVE 2,969
$17.83¥119
68.37%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.98CVE 196
$1.49¥9.91
32.89%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.56CVE 253
$0.37¥2.50
591.89%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.49CVE 1,532
$7.10¥47.31
118.17%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.51CVE 149
$1.26¥8.39
19.84%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.4KCVE 2.9M
$19.4K¥129.6K
51.05%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$38.7KCVE 3.8M
$17.5K¥116.9K
120.77%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Verde
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$148CVE 14.6K
$54.6¥364
170.62%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$16.86CVE 1,667
$8.73¥58.2
93.13%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$52.8CVE 5,222
$11.07¥73.8
377.06%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Cape Verde
China
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$29.34CVE 2,901
$40.77¥272
-28.04%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$7.86CVE 778
$14.48¥96.5
-45.72%
Cinema Ticket
$5.57CVE 550
$6.78¥45.19
-17.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Cape Verde
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$147CVE 14.5K
$517¥3,443
-71.63%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$3,055CVE 302.1K
$19.8K¥132.0K
-84.58%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Cape Verde
China
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$51.0CVE 5,045
$46.53¥310
9.65%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.45CVE 2,517
$35.66¥238
-28.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$64.7CVE 6,399
$77.0¥513
-15.94%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$137CVE 13.5K
$80.3¥535
70.11%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Cape Verde
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$419CVE 41.4K
$386¥2,572
8.50%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$251CVE 24.8K
$235¥1,563
7.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$577CVE 57.1K
$822¥5,478
-29.76%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$334CVE 33.0K
$453¥3,020
-26.35%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,099CVE 108.6K
$4,697¥31.3K
-76.61%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$777CVE 76.9K
$2,372¥15.8K
-67.22%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Cape Verde
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$325CVE 32.1K
$1,093¥7,286
-70.29%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
7.33
3.46
111.85%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Cape Verde: October 25, 2026
Last update for China: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cape Verde
$307 27.3%
China
$210 26.5% ↓ 31.6%$97
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cape Verde
$251 22.4%
China
$235 29.6% ↓ 6.6%$16
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Verde
$217 19.4%
China
$74 9.4% ↓ 65.8%$143
🍽Eating Out
Cape Verde
$134 11.9%
China
$88 11.1% ↓ 34.2%$46
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cape Verde
$125 11.1%
China
$108 13.6% ↓ 13.8%$17
🚌Getting Around
Cape Verde
$48 4.3%
China
$22 2.8% ↓ 53.8%$26
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cape Verde
$40 3.6%
China
$54 6.9% ↑ 34.2%$14
🛒Groceries & Markets
Cape Verde
$720 31.6%
China
$483 28.3% ↓ 32.9%$237
🏠Accommodation & Living
Cape Verde
$334 14.7%
China
$453 26.5% ↑ 35.8%$119
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Cape Verde
$234 10.3%
China
$83 4.9% ↓ 64.5%$151
🍽Eating Out
Cape Verde
$523 23%
China
$284 16.6% ↓ 45.8%$240
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Cape Verde
$278 12.2%
China
$239 14% ↓ 13.8%$38
🚌Getting Around
Cape Verde
$98 4.3%
China
$45 2.6% ↓ 54%$53
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Cape Verde
$89 3.9%
China
$123 7.2% ↑ 38.7%$34
Cost Breakdown
🏠Average rent: $412 in Cape Verde vs $298 in China. For reference, capital cities sit at $570 in Praia and $933 in Beijing (Pekin).
💰Average salary: $275 in Cape Verde vs $873 in China. The income gap affects purchasing power and how far your budget stretches in each country.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 38% higher in Cape Verde.
⭐Dining out costs 109% more in Cape Verde.
⭐Public transport is 67% more expensive in Cape Verde.
⭐Salaries are about 3.2 times higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Cape Verde vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is cheaper: Cape Verde or China?
China is the cheaper option – living costs run roughly 30% lower on average.
Is rent more expensive in Cape Verde or in China?
Housing costs more in Cape Verde: a central one-bedroom averages $412 versus $298 in China.
How do daily expenses compare in Cape Verde vs China?
Groceries, public transport, and eating out all cost less in China, adding to the overall 42% price gap.
Which country is better for expats: Cape Verde or China?
China is the budget-friendly choice for expats. But cost isn’t everything: visa policies, language, healthcare quality, and job markets all weigh in too.
Cape Verde vs other spots: cost of living compared