Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Cook Islands Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Cook Islands

Name: Cook Islands
Address: CK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in China versus $1,111 in Cook Islands.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,703 in Cook Islands.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $2,295 in Cook Islands.

Living in China costs about 36% less than in Cook Islands on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Cook Islands 17% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $535 to $1,206, compared to $857–$1,365 in Cook Islands. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.38

$12.23 NZ$21.06

-76.61%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$59.8 NZ$103

-61.05%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.71

$9.28 NZ$15.97

-47.95%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.55

$4.13 NZ$7.11

-26.39%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$2.53 NZ$4.35

-82.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$2.34 NZ$4.03

-88.46%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$6.56 NZ$11.30

-84.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.76

$5.38 NZ$9.26

-62.27%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.88

$2.13 NZ$3.67

-17.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$3.12 NZ$5.37

-46.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.57

$1.61 NZ$2.77

-39.75%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.46

$5.87 NZ$10.11

-73.76%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥90.1

$9.80 NZ$16.86

35.71%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.72

$8.03 NZ$13.82

-60.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.1

$9.09 NZ$15.65

18.70%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.29

$3.07 NZ$5.29

-41.04%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.86

$2.38 NZ$4.10

-44.96%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.16

$3.52 NZ$6.05

-57.39%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.75

$6.15 NZ$10.60

-81.46%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$2.37 NZ$4.08

-69.20%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$1.95 NZ$3.36

-55.38%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$2.14 NZ$3.68

-73.36%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.64

$3.38 NZ$5.82

-84.02%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.92

$14.85 NZ$25.57

-76.23%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.3

$13.18 NZ$22.70

-11.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$3.55 NZ$6.12

-76.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$4.89 NZ$8.42

-65.85%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.76

$2.97 NZ$5.12

-86.20%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.22

$21.13 NZ$36.38

-93.56%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.46

$36.05 NZ$62.1

-80.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.76 NZ$3.03

-36.36%

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

$19.2K ¥129.9K

$12.1K NZ$20.8K

59.15%

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

$16.9K ¥114.6K

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

$51.8 ¥351

$104 NZ$179

-50.27%

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

$9.85 ¥66.7

$30.16 NZ$51.9

-67.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.4

$105 NZ$180

-89.37%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥265

$24.69 NZ$42.51

58.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$24.18 NZ$41.63

-38.42%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.30

$6.80 NZ$11.71

-8.09%

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

$404 ¥2,736

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.7K

$1,453 NZ$2,501

1126.60%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$67.3 NZ$116

-31.52%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥219

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥492

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$74.5 NZ$128

-2.16%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,014

$321 NZ$553

38.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,729

$313 NZ$540

-18.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,275

$360 NZ$619

157.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,605

$469 NZ$807

13.52%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.5K

$4,970 NZ$8,557

-0.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$724 NZ$1,246

244.38%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,158

$4,039 NZ$6,954

-73.83%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

-49.25%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for Cook Islands: June 9, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $319 in Cook Islands. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $154 in Avarua.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $4,018 in Cook Islands. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 12% higher in Cook Islands.

Dining out costs 186% more in Cook Islands.

Salaries are 366% higher in Cook Islands, giving Cook Islands stronger purchasing power.

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 Cook Islands: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $871 per month in China and $1,111 in Cook Islands, there's a 28% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in Cook Islands beats China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Cook Islands, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Cook Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.