Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Gambia Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Gambia

Name: Gambia
Address: GM

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $214 in Gambia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $356 in Gambia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $497 in Gambia.

Living in China is roughly 233% more expensive than in Gambia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Gambia 84% lower.

China ($532–$1,192) and Gambia ($57.0–$611) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.32

$4.37 GMD 325

-34.55%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.44 ¥158

$58.7 GMD 4,358

-60.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.84 ¥32.70

$6.48 GMD 482

-25.31%

Cappuccino

$3.11 ¥21.03

$2.54 GMD 189

22.44%

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

$0.44 ¥2.99

$1.74 GMD 130

-74.71%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.99

$1.24 GMD 92.1

-76.61%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.63

$3.59 GMD 267

-72.70%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.86

$3.65 GMD 271

-43.84%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 ¥12.45

$1.51 GMD 112

21.85%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.92

$0.70 GMD 51.8

131.43%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.27

$1.24 GMD 91.8

-25.00%

Eggs

$1.63 ¥11.01

$2.20 GMD 163

-25.91%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.15 ¥88.8

$5.82 GMD 432

125.95%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.26 ¥22.06

$7.85 GMD 583

-58.47%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.62 ¥71.8

$5.25 GMD 390

102.29%

Apples (1kg)

$1.80 ¥12.17

$3.10 GMD 230

-41.94%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.76

$2.37 GMD 176

-45.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

$2.08 GMD 154

-29.81%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.20 ¥8.13

$1.85 GMD 137

-35.14%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.13

$1.03 GMD 76.3

-26.21%

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.93

$1.00 GMD 74.5

-12.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.86

$0.24 GMD 17.71

137.50%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.62

$0.40 GMD 29.61

35.00%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.42 ¥23.14

$1.95 GMD 145

75.38%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.75 ¥79.4

$6.94 GMD 516

69.31%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.39

$2.21 GMD 164

-63.80%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.62 ¥10.94

$1.72 GMD 127

-5.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.22 GMD 16.38

95.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.47 ¥138

$6.45 GMD 479

217.36%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.22

$0.51 GMD 38.07

166.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.39

$0.72 GMD 53.2

-51.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.50 ¥43.90

$4.33 GMD 321

50.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.58

$1.09 GMD 80.8

2.75%

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

$19.5K ¥131.6K

$2,639 GMD 196.1K

637.77%

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

$16.9K ¥113.9K

$4,013 GMD 298.1K

320.21%

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

$51.7 ¥349

$33.58 GMD 2,495

53.96%

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

$10.17 ¥68.7

$14.59 GMD 1,084

-30.29%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.16 ¥75.4

$47.96 GMD 3,564

-76.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.62 ¥268

$24.78 GMD 1,841

59.89%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.53 ¥98.2

$14.23 GMD 1,057

2.11%

Cinema Ticket

$6.38 ¥43.12

$3.57 GMD 265

78.71%

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

$407 ¥2,752

$6.89 GMD 512

5811.18%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$143 GMD 10.7K

12332.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.53 ¥308

$55.5 GMD 4,123

-17.96%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.31 ¥218

$42.56 GMD 3,162

-24.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥490

$102 GMD 7,566

-28.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.4 ¥503

$88.4 GMD 6,566

-15.79%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 ¥2,992

$101 GMD 7,527

337.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$258 ¥1,745

$82.7 GMD 6,141

212.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$910 ¥6,152

$253 GMD 18.8K

259.21%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$543 ¥3,672

$107 GMD 7,958

407.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,934 ¥33.3K

$1,464 GMD 108.8K

237.06%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,398 ¥16.2K

$1,165 GMD 86.5K

105.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,065 ¥7,194

$62.6 GMD 4,651

1600.69%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

10.12

-59.88%

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

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Last update for Gambia: July 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $287 in China, $15.00 in Gambia. Capital cities: $894 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $103 in Banjul.

National salary averages: $855 in China, $61.0 in Gambia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1813% higher in China.

Dining out costs 31% more in China.

Public transport is 1700% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 1302% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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 Gambia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $862 per month in China and $334 in Gambia, there's a 158% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Gambia: 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 is consistently higher than in Gambia across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Gambia, $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: Gambia wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.