Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Eswatini Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Eswatini

Name: Eswatini
Address: SZ

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $239 in Eswatini.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $383 in Eswatini.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $527 in Eswatini.

Living in China is roughly 197% more expensive than Eswatini on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Eswatini 82% lower.

China ($523–$1,194) and Eswatini ($0–$725) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.51

$1.73 SZL 28.29

65.32%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.89 ¥163

$28.47 SZL 466

-16.09%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.77 ¥32.61

$2.31 SZL 37.83

106.49%

Cappuccino

$3.08 ¥21.02

$1.67 SZL 27.30

84.43%

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

$0.44 ¥2.99

$0.80 SZL 13.12

-45.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.49 SZL 7.97

-44.90%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.93 ¥6.36

$1.52 SZL 24.82

-38.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.04 ¥13.96

$1.65 SZL 27.07

23.64%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.16

$1.05 SZL 17.22

69.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.60 ¥10.94

$0.75 SZL 12.20

113.33%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.98 ¥6.70

$1.23 SZL 20.13

-20.33%

Eggs

$1.55 ¥10.60

$1.49 SZL 24.36

4.03%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.22 ¥90.3

$8.79 SZL 144

50.40%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.39 ¥23.13

$4.01 SZL 65.6

-15.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.52 ¥71.9

$4.63 SZL 75.7

127.21%

Apples (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.59

$1.33 SZL 21.75

38.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.89

$0.79 SZL 13.01

64.56%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.47 ¥10.03

$1.09 SZL 17.85

34.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.83

$1.41 SZL 23.11

-18.44%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.94

$0.96 SZL 15.77

-25.00%

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.40

$0.99 SZL 16.25

-5.05%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.16

$0.53 SZL 8.64

15.09%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 ¥3.61

$0.74 SZL 12.14

-28.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.54 ¥24.15

$2.66 SZL 43.47

33.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.89 ¥81.2

$4.91 SZL 80.3

142.16%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.79 ¥5.39

$1.03 SZL 16.86

-23.30%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.51

$1.43 SZL 23.41

18.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥2.98

$0.92 SZL 15.07

-52.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.98 ¥143

$29.94 SZL 490

-29.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.39

$3.42 SZL 56.0

-59.65%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.40

$2.69 SZL 44.09

-86.99%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.75 ¥46.13

$3.37 SZL 55.2

100.30%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.16 ¥7.93

$1.21 SZL 19.87

-4.13%

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

$19.7K ¥134.8K

$17.1K SZL 279.8K

15.41%

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

$16.9K ¥115.8K

$18.7K SZL 305.9K

-9.35%

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

$50.3 ¥344

$75.0 SZL 1,227

-32.96%

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

$10.04 ¥68.5

$26.78 SZL 438

-62.51%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.39 ¥77.8

$28.48 SZL 466

-60.01%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.16 ¥274

$27.48 SZL 450

46.14%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.68 ¥100

$4.93 SZL 80.6

197.77%

Cinema Ticket

$6.21 ¥42.39

$3.33 SZL 54.5

86.49%

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

$402 ¥2,746

$107 SZL 1,755

274.80%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ¥119.1K

$4,682 SZL 76.6K

272.38%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.39 ¥317

$42.09 SZL 689

10.22%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.60 ¥223

$26.58 SZL 435

22.65%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.3 ¥487

$63.7 SZL 1,042

11.92%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.8 ¥511

$73.2 SZL 1,198

2.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥2,931

$241 SZL 3,948

77.84%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$261 ¥1,783

$140 SZL 2,296

85.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$915 ¥6,253

$434 SZL 7,101

110.91%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$545 ¥3,725

$329 SZL 5,378

65.89%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,127 ¥35.0K

$342 SZL 5,589

1400.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,614 ¥17.9K

$254 SZL 4,150

930.66%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,061 ¥7,244

$502 SZL 8,220

111.08%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

9.12

-55.48%

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

Last update for China: April 12, 2026

Last update for Eswatini: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $82 in Eswatini. Capital cities: $914 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $260 in Mbabane.

National salary averages: $833 in China, $614 in Eswatini. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 250% higher in China.

Dining out costs 110% more in China.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 36% higher in China, giving Eswatini 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 Eswatini: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $859 per month in China and $363 in Eswatini, there's a 137% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In Eswatini, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In China, 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. Eswatini wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.