Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Latvia Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Latvia

Name: Latvia
Address: LV

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in China versus $1,349 in Latvia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $2,040 in Latvia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $2,730 in Latvia.

Living in China costs about 47% less than in Latvia on average.

China (47% below) and Latvia (0% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $535 to $1,206, compared to $1,210–$1,589 in Latvia. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.38

$13.84 €12.00

-79.34%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$68.6 €59.5

-66.06%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.71

$8.27 €7.16

-41.60%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.55

$3.40 €2.95

-10.59%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.68 €1.46

-73.21%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$1.27 €1.10

-78.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.72

$5.10 €4.42

-80.59%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.76

$4.51 €3.91

-54.99%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.88

$1.30 €1.13

34.62%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.33

$1.63 €1.42

2.45%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.57

$3.05 €2.65

-68.20%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.46

$3.16 €2.74

-51.27%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥90.1

$11.62 €10.07

14.46%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.72

$7.90 €6.84

-59.37%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.1

$12.39 €10.74

-12.91%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.29

$1.60 €1.39

13.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.86

$1.87 €1.62

-29.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.16

$2.65 €2.30

-43.40%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.75

$3.42 €2.96

-66.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.91

$0.95 €0.82

-23.16%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$1.02 €0.89

-14.71%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$1.83 €1.59

-68.85%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.64

$0.87 €0.75

-37.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.92

$5.91 €5.12

-40.27%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.3

$8.02 €6.95

46.01%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$1.76 €1.53

-52.27%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$2.07 €1.80

-19.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.76

$1.72 €1.49

-76.16%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$34.85 €30.21

-40.37%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.22

$2.72 €2.36

-50.00%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.77 €0.67

-57.14%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.46

$11.46 €9.93

-40.14%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.59

$1.85 €1.60

-39.46%

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

$19.2K ¥129.9K

$29.6K €25.6K

-35.12%

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

$16.9K ¥114.6K

$30.7K €26.6K

-44.93%

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

$51.8 ¥351

$308 €267

-83.20%

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

$9.85 ¥66.7

$19.08 €16.54

-48.38%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.4

$20.00 €17.33

-44.35%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥265

$46.35 €40.17

-15.64%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$28.23 €24.47

-47.25%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.30

$11.68 €10.12

-46.49%

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

$404 ¥2,736

$533 €462

-24.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.7K

$15.8K €13.7K

12.72%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$92.6 €80.2

-50.19%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥219

$47.29 €40.98

-31.76%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥492

$93.0 €80.6

-21.82%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$140 €122

-48.11%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,014

$470 €407

-5.30%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,729

$328 €285

-22.24%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,275

$923 €800

0.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,605

$623 €540

-14.58%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.5K

$2,644 €2,292

86.92%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$1,722 €1,492

44.73%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,158

$1,318 €1,142

-19.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

4.33

-6.24%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for Latvia: June 7, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $353 in Latvia. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $578 in Riga.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $1,057 in Latvia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 23% higher in Latvia.

Dining out costs 176% more in Latvia.

Public transport is 106% more expensive in Latvia.

Salaries are 23% higher in Latvia, 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 Latvia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $871 per month in China and $1,400 in Latvia, there's a 61% 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 Latvia 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 Latvia, 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; Latvia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.