Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Hong Kong (China) Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Hong Kong (China)

Name: Hong Kong (China)
Address: HK

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $2,752 in Hong Kong (China).

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $4,270 in Hong Kong (China).

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $5,787 in Hong Kong (China).

Living in China costs about 74% less than in Hong Kong (China) on average.

China (47% below) and Hong Kong (China) (105% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $520 to $1,209, compared to $2,752–$2,752 in Hong Kong (China). City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥18.98

$8.99 HK$70.4

-68.74%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.30 ¥158

$63.0 HK$494

-63.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥33.87

$6.56 HK$51.4

-23.63%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥20.38

$4.98 HK$39.04

-39.56%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.30 HK$10.15

-65.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$1.09 HK$8.55

-73.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ¥6.41

$6.85 HK$53.7

-86.13%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.87

$6.54 HK$51.3

-68.65%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.87

$3.07 HK$24.02

-42.67%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.98

$2.22 HK$17.43

-27.03%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.45

$1.96 HK$15.35

-51.53%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.55

$3.52 HK$27.56

-55.68%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.3

$25.75 HK$202

-49.28%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ¥22.17

$10.51 HK$82.3

-68.79%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ¥72.0

$21.77 HK$171

-51.08%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$3.62 HK$28.35

-50.83%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.42

$2.31 HK$18.12

-46.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.12

$3.88 HK$30.38

-61.34%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$3.08 HK$24.16

-62.66%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.07

$2.34 HK$18.31

-67.95%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$2.22 HK$17.41

-61.26%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.17

$1.68 HK$13.15

-63.10%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$1.72 HK$13.51

-67.44%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥23.76

$13.10 HK$103

-73.21%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 ¥78.9

$18.91 HK$148

-38.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$1.83 HK$14.36

-56.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.25

$2.66 HK$20.81

-37.59%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$1.68 HK$13.13

-74.40%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.86 ¥141

$62.5 HK$490

-66.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.26

$3.59 HK$28.16

-61.84%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$1.31 HK$10.27

-73.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.82

$14.66 HK$115

-54.77%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$3.11 HK$24.35

-63.34%

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

$19.2K ¥129.7K

$38.2K HK$299.7K

-49.84%

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

$16.8K ¥113.4K

$32.9K HK$257.5K

-48.99%

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

$51.2 ¥346

$235 HK$1,839

-78.19%

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

$10.16 ¥68.7

$17.94 HK$141

-43.37%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.51 ¥77.9

$22.44 HK$176

-48.71%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.53 ¥274

$76.2 HK$597

-46.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 ¥102

$8.51 HK$66.7

76.85%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ¥41.26

$12.82 HK$100

-52.42%

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

$402 ¥2,719

$986 HK$7,725

-59.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥119.5K

$21.4K HK$167.5K

-17.30%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.57 ¥308

$72.9 HK$571

-37.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.26 ¥225

$39.60 HK$310

-16.01%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥491

$90.8 HK$711

-19.99%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

$143 HK$1,123

-48.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥2,903

$2,224 HK$17.4K

-80.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ¥1,739

$1,571 HK$12.3K

-83.62%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 ¥6,055

$4,893 HK$38.3K

-81.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥3,660

$3,105 HK$24.3K

-82.57%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 ¥33.9K

$27.4K HK$214.6K

-81.69%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 ¥16.7K

$17.0K HK$133.6K

-85.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,055 ¥7,132

$3,187 HK$25.0K

-66.90%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

3.97

2.27%

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

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Last update for Hong Kong (China): May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $2,235 in Hong Kong (China). Capital cities: $916 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $2,235 in Hong Kong.

National salary averages: $861 in China, $3,166 in Hong Kong (China). Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 681% higher in Hong Kong (China).

Dining out costs 210% more in Hong Kong (China).

Public transport is 256% more expensive in Hong Kong (China).

Salaries are 268% higher in Hong Kong (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 Hong Kong (China): Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $865 per month in China and $2,752 in Hong Kong (China), there's a 218% 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 Hong Kong (China) 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 Hong Kong (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. China wins on affordability; Hong Kong (China) may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.