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 $212 in Gambia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $355 in Gambia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $498 in Gambia.

Living in China is roughly 236% more expensive than Gambia on average.

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

China ($520–$1,209) and Gambia ($59.0–$598) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥18.98

$4.21 GMD 311

-33.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.30 ¥158

$58.8 GMD 4,346

-60.38%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥33.87

$6.28 GMD 464

-20.22%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥20.38

$2.55 GMD 188

18.04%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.74 GMD 128

-74.14%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$1.19 GMD 87.6

-75.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ¥6.41

$3.70 GMD 274

-74.32%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.87

$3.70 GMD 274

-44.59%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.87

$1.45 GMD 107

21.38%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.98

$0.76 GMD 56.1

113.16%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.45

$1.23 GMD 91.2

-22.76%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.55

$2.20 GMD 163

-29.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.3

$5.79 GMD 428

125.56%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ¥22.17

$8.05 GMD 595

-59.25%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ¥72.0

$5.48 GMD 405

94.34%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$3.16 GMD 234

-43.67%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.42

$2.38 GMD 176

-47.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.12

$2.07 GMD 153

-27.54%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$1.91 GMD 141

-39.79%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.07

$1.04 GMD 76.8

-27.88%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$1.03 GMD 75.9

-16.50%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.17

$0.26 GMD 19.31

138.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.39 GMD 29.13

43.59%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥23.76

$1.97 GMD 146

78.17%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 ¥78.9

$6.65 GMD 491

75.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$2.15 GMD 159

-62.79%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.25

$1.78 GMD 132

-6.74%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.20 GMD 14.75

115.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.86 ¥141

$6.62 GMD 489

215.11%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.26

$0.55 GMD 40.33

149.09%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$0.69 GMD 50.8

-49.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.82

$4.20 GMD 310

57.86%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.13 GMD 83.7

0.88%

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

$19.2K ¥129.7K

$2,670 GMD 197.3K

618.28%

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

$16.8K ¥113.4K

$4,010 GMD 296.4K

318.06%

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

$51.2 ¥346

$32.93 GMD 2,433

55.39%

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

$10.16 ¥68.7

$15.01 GMD 1,109

-32.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.51 ¥77.9

$46.56 GMD 3,441

-75.28%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.53 ¥274

$24.51 GMD 1,811

65.36%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 ¥102

$14.24 GMD 1,052

5.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ¥41.26

$3.64 GMD 269

67.58%

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

$402 ¥2,719

$7.17 GMD 530

5508.65%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥119.5K

$141 GMD 10.4K

12471.20%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.57 ¥308

$57.0 GMD 4,214

-20.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.26 ¥225

$41.85 GMD 3,093

-20.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥491

$101 GMD 7,453

-28.00%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

$88.1 GMD 6,514

-15.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥2,903

$105 GMD 7,728

310.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ¥1,739

$82.5 GMD 6,099

211.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 ¥6,055

$257 GMD 19.0K

247.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥3,660

$108 GMD 7,966

402.23%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 ¥33.9K

$1,452 GMD 107.3K

245.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 ¥16.7K

$1,168 GMD 86.3K

111.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,055 ¥7,132

$61.9 GMD 4,578

1602.78%

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for Gambia: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $15.00 in Gambia. Capital cities: $916 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $103 in Banjul.

National salary averages: $861 in China, $60.0 in Gambia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1807% higher in China.

Dining out costs 31% more in China.

Public transport is 1700% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 1335% higher in China, giving China 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 Gambia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $865 per month in China and $329 in Gambia, there's a 163% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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