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

Name: Canada
Address: CA

Monthly Cost of Living

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

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

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

The cost of living in China is roughly 68% lower than in Canada on average – the gap runs across housing, groceries, transport, and services.

China sits 48% below the global median, while Canada is 61% above – 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

$2.93 ¥19.60

$18.28 CA$25.35

-83.97%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.72 ¥152

$71.2 CA$98.8

-68.10%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.95

$10.96 CA$15.20

-53.74%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ¥19.70

$3.95 CA$5.47

-25.57%

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$2.07 CA$2.88

-76.81%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.02

$1.74 CA$2.42

-82.76%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ¥7.10

$5.93 CA$8.23

-82.12%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.07

$5.69 CA$7.89

-60.46%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥11.99

$2.23 CA$3.09

-19.73%

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.35

$2.71 CA$3.76

-37.27%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.45

$3.72 CA$5.16

-74.19%

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.79

$3.61 CA$5.01

-55.40%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 ¥91.1

$10.81 CA$14.99

25.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ¥22.84

$12.22 CA$16.95

-72.09%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ¥74.2

$15.68 CA$21.75

-29.40%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.09

$4.25 CA$5.89

-57.41%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.74

$1.43 CA$1.98

-9.09%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.91

$4.02 CA$5.57

-63.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.72

$4.09 CA$5.67

-68.22%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

$2.68 CA$3.72

-73.13%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.31

$2.45 CA$3.40

-61.63%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.08

$2.67 CA$3.70

-77.15%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.73

$1.80 CA$2.50

-68.89%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 ¥24.58

$14.46 CA$20.05

-74.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 ¥79.7

$13.58 CA$18.84

-12.37%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.56

$2.84 CA$3.94

-70.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.08

$3.26 CA$4.52

-49.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$2.46 CA$3.41

-88.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.61 ¥151

$75.2 CA$104

-69.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$3.15 CA$4.37

-53.97%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.31

$1.54 CA$2.14

-77.92%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ¥48.72

$27.55 CA$38.21

-73.61%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.26

$1.16 CA$1.61

6.03%

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

$19.5K ¥130.9K

$28.4K CA$39.3K

-31.12%

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

$17.2K ¥115.5K

$19.5K CA$27.0K

-11.40%

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

$55.5 ¥371

$155 CA$215

-64.20%

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

$8.51 ¥57.0

$43.47 CA$60.3

-80.42%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.81 ¥72.4

$60.4 CA$83.8

-82.11%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 ¥268

$41.15 CA$57.1

-2.75%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 ¥99.1

$19.79 CA$27.45

-25.21%

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ¥45.09

$11.53 CA$15.98

-41.63%

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

$454 ¥3,042

$786 CA$1,089

-42.19%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ¥130.8K

$14.8K CA$20.6K

31.78%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.95 ¥301

$55.0 CA$76.3

-18.26%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 ¥240

$41.25 CA$57.2

-13.19%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥514

$88.1 CA$122

-12.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ¥518

$106 CA$147

-27.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ¥2,581

$1,295 CA$1,797

-70.25%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ¥1,623

$1,168 CA$1,619

-79.25%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 ¥5,603

$2,044 CA$2,835

-59.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥3,177

$1,779 CA$2,467

-73.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,619 ¥30.9K

$4,786 CA$6,638

-3.49%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,316 ¥15.5K

$3,973 CA$5,510

-41.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ¥7,110

$3,078 CA$4,270

-65.51%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.47

4.86

-28.60%

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

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Last update for Canada: September 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Average salary: $865 in China vs $2,981 in Canada. 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

China vs Canada: 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.