Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Vacoas Cost of Living Comparison Between Chengdu and Vacoas

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $689 per month in Chengdu vs $737 in Vacoas, rent included.

A couple spends around $1,083 per month in Chengdu vs $1,124 in Vacoas, rent included.

A family of three spends $1,477 per month in Chengdu vs $1,511 in Vacoas, rent included.

Chengdu is about 7% cheaper than Vacoas, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Chengdu and Vacoas are more affordable than the global median – Chengdu 49% lower, Vacoas 45% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.85 ¥19.32

$6.45 MUR 305

-55.81%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.00 ¥162

$32.98 MUR 1,560

-27.23%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.99 ¥33.75

$4.94 MUR 234

1.01%

Cappuccino

$2.77 ¥18.75

$2.57 MUR 122

7.78%

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

$0.46 ¥3.14

$0.96 MUR 45.29

-52.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.06

$0.56 MUR 26.64

-46.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.13 ¥7.63

$2.17 MUR 103

-47.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.13 ¥14.44

$2.00 MUR 94.9

6.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.19

$1.28 MUR 60.4

40.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.39 ¥9.39

$0.71 MUR 33.75

95.77%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.10

$1.29 MUR 60.9

-30.23%

Eggs

$1.86 ¥12.61

$2.18 MUR 103

-14.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.62 ¥92.2

$2.67 MUR 126

410.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥24.09

$3.01 MUR 142

18.27%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.23 ¥76.0

$5.52 MUR 261

103.44%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.62

$1.99 MUR 94.0

-6.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.18 ¥8.00

$2.03 MUR 96.3

-41.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.16

$1.44 MUR 68.0

4.17%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.04 ¥7.02

$2.74 MUR 130

-62.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.74

$1.03 MUR 48.50

-32.04%

Onion (1kg)

$0.70 ¥4.71

$1.01 MUR 48.01

-30.69%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.79 MUR 37.31

-29.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 ¥4.13

$0.71 MUR 33.55

-14.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.24 ¥21.93

$5.67 MUR 268

-42.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.44 ¥36.81

$6.31 MUR 299

-13.79%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.00 ¥6.79

$1.44 MUR 68.0

-30.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.87 ¥12.69

$2.18 MUR 103

-14.22%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

$1.01 MUR 47.96

-59.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$27.31 ¥185

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.22 ¥8.29

$4.47 MUR 212

-72.71%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.26 ¥1.75

$2.63 MUR 124

-90.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.09 ¥27.65

$4.32 MUR 204

-5.32%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.70

$1.41 MUR 66.9

-19.15%

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

$18.7K ¥126.7K

$26.7K MUR 1.3M

-29.78%

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

$16.0K ¥108.6K

$29.2K MUR 1.4M

-45.11%

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

$45.05 ¥305

$49.62 MUR 2,348

-9.21%

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

$11.69 ¥79.1

$10.89 MUR 515

7.35%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.38 ¥77.0

$25.99 MUR 1,230

-56.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.49 ¥166

$26.80 MUR 1,268

-8.62%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$11.16 ¥75.6

Cinema Ticket

$5.54 ¥37.48

$5.49 MUR 260

0.91%

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

$333 ¥2,251

$155 MUR 7,353

114.01%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$12.1K ¥82.1K

$3,977 MUR 188.2K

205.14%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$37.92 ¥257

$29.28 MUR 1,386

29.51%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$38.57 ¥261

$29.55 MUR 1,399

30.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$67.4 ¥456

$65.7 MUR 3,108

2.60%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$50.7 ¥343

$59.8 MUR 2,830

-15.23%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$318 ¥2,151

$266 MUR 12.6K

19.40%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$179 ¥1,214

$238 MUR 11.2K

-24.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$610 ¥4,132

$506 MUR 23.9K

20.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$335 ¥2,265

$320 MUR 15.2K

4.46%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,810 ¥25.8K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,922 ¥13.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,257 ¥8,510

$700 MUR 33.1K

79.61%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.21

4.25

-0.94%

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

Last update for Chengdu: June 2, 2026

Last update for Vacoas: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $318 in Chengdu versus $266 in Vacoas. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 80% higher in Chengdu, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu versus $33.00 in Vacoas. Groceries tell a different story – $196 in Chengdu vs $156 in Vacoas – so Vacoas wins on supermarket bills even if dining out costs more.

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

Chengdu vs Vacoas: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Monthly costs with rent: $689 in Chengdu, $737 in Vacoas – roughly 7% apart. Vacoas costs more across the board, with Groceries & Markets showing the biggest gap.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,033 per month in Chengdu and $1,106 in Vacoas. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Chengdu, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $24.00 in Chengdu and $33.00 in Vacoas. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Interestingly, groceries are about 25% cheaper in Vacoas – one category where the pricier city actually offers better value, probably thanks to stronger retail competition or local farming.

$1,200 covers both cities comfortably – all-in costs are $689 in Chengdu and $737 in Vacoas, leaving budget for savings and extras in both cases.

Families tend to lean toward Chengdu – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Chengdu. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Vacoas makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.