Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between the Central African Republic and China

Name: China
Address: CN

For one person, living is cheaper in the Central African Republic: $422 a month against $791 in China, rent and utilities included – about $4,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

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Cost of Living Index in China
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China Living Index

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🇨🇫 Central African Republic

$422

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🇨🇳 China

$791

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Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in the Central African Republic and in China

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in the Central African Republic and in China actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $422 in the Central African Republic versus $791 in China.

Central African Republic $422
China $791

Estimated couple costs with rent: $670 in the Central African Republic versus $1,251 in China.

Central African Republic $670
China $1,251

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $919 in the Central African Republic versus $1,711 in China.

Central African Republic $919
China $1,711

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $465 to $1,222, compared to $424–$424 in the Central African Republic. City choice carries more weight in China.

Living in the Central African Republic costs about 47% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: the Central African Republic 69% lower, China 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.98 ¥19.76

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.09 ¥147

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.20 ¥34.51

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥19.68

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

$0.48 ¥3.18

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.72 FCFA 1,008

$0.30 ¥2.00

473.33%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.35 FCFA 1,958

$1.08 ¥7.16

210.19%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.00 FCFA 2,926

$2.28 ¥15.11

119.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$5.03 FCFA 2,943

$1.80 ¥11.93

179.44%

White Bread (500g)

$4.37 FCFA 2,556

$1.68 ¥11.12

160.12%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$4.24 FCFA 2,479

$0.92 ¥6.12

360.87%

Eggs

$5.04 FCFA 2,945

$1.61 ¥10.70

213.04%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.43 FCFA 4,930

$13.38 ¥88.8

-37.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.40 FCFA 4,913

$3.35 ¥22.22

150.75%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$3.51 FCFA 2,052

$11.35 ¥75.3

-69.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.09

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.67

Oranges (1kg)

$6.82 FCFA 3,991

$1.49 ¥9.86

357.72%

Tomato (1kg)

$5.08 FCFA 2,973

$1.27 ¥8.45

300.00%

Potato (1kg)

$4.15 FCFA 2,427

$0.71 ¥4.72

484.51%

Onion (1kg)

$6.08 FCFA 3,554

$0.93 ¥6.20

553.76%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.49 FCFA 1,455

$0.62 ¥4.11

301.61%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.51 FCFA 1,469

$0.56 ¥3.73

348.21%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.33 FCFA 2,530

$3.78 ¥25.08

14.55%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.69 FCFA 6,837

$12.13 ¥80.5

-3.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$5.99 FCFA 3,506

$0.83 ¥5.52

621.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.29 FCFA 2,509

$1.68 ¥11.18

155.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$17.83 ¥118

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ¥9.87

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 ¥47.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.60 FCFA 1,521

$1.26 ¥8.35

106.35%

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

$19.4K ¥129.1K

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

$17.5K ¥116.4K

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

$54.6 ¥362

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

$8.73 ¥58.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.07 ¥73.5

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.77 ¥271

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 ¥96.1

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ¥45.00

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

$517 ¥3,429

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K ¥131.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.53 ¥309

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.66 ¥237

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥511

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 ¥533

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,376 FCFA 804.9K

$386 ¥2,560

256.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ¥1,557

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ¥5,454

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$453 ¥3,007

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,351 FCFA 790.3K

$4,697 ¥31.2K

-71.23%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,599 FCFA 935.3K

$2,372 ¥15.7K

-32.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$847 FCFA 495.1K

$1,093 ¥7,255

-22.56%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

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

Last update for the Central African Republic: October 25, 2026

Last update for China: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Central African Republic

–

China

$235 29.6%

Groceries & Markets

Central African Republic

–

China

$210 26.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Central African Republic

–

China

$108 13.6%

Eating Out

Central African Republic

–

China

$88 11.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Central African Republic

–

China

$74 9.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Central African Republic

–

China

$54 6.9%

Getting Around

Central African Republic

–

China

$22 2.8%

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,353 in the Central African Republic, $298 in China. Capital cities: $1,353 in Bangui vs $933 in Beijing (Pekin).

Cost Highlights

Rent is 354% higher in the Central African Republic.

Good to know

🇨🇫 Central African Republic

🇨🇳 China

🕒 Local time

18:29 6:29 PM

01:29 1:29 AM

7 h ahead of the Central African Republic

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,152,421

1,442,965,000

💱 Currency

Central African CFA Franc XAF Fr

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD

1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR

1 CNY = 0.151 USD

1 CNY = 0.135 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to XAF – Central African CFA Franc Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🌐 Central African CFA Franc (Fr)

Central African CFA Franc exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 585 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.71 USD). 1 EUR = 653 XAF (1,000 XAF = 1.53 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 2, 2026: 1 USD = 6.64 CNY (1 CNY = 0.151 USD). 1 EUR = 7.41 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

USD to XAF in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

Central African Republic China 10,360 km ≈ 13 h nonstop flight

From you

Central African Republic
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

Central African Republic vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $422 per month in the Central African Republic and $791 in China, the Central African Republic comes out about 47% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Overall, the Central African Republic is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.

In the Central African Republic, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in China it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you’re after: the Central African Republic wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.