Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Liberia Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Liberia

Name: Liberia
Address: LR

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $696 in Liberia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,235 in Liberia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $1,773 in Liberia.

Living in China is roughly 2% more expensive than Liberia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Liberia 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥18.98

$7.61 LRD 1,383

-63.07%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.30 ¥158

$148 LRD 26.9K

-84.25%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥33.87

$10.99 LRD 1,997

-54.41%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥20.38

$3.25 LRD 591

-7.38%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$2.05 LRD 373

-78.05%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$2.71 LRD 493

-89.30%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ¥6.41

$2.80 LRD 509

-66.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.87

$2.97 LRD 539

-30.98%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.87

$2.15 LRD 390

-18.14%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.98

$1.81 LRD 328

-10.50%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.45

$5.02 LRD 912

-81.08%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.55

$3.63 LRD 660

-57.02%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.3

$12.00 LRD 2,181

8.83%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ¥22.17

$12.01 LRD 2,182

-72.69%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ¥72.0

$35.94 LRD 6,531

-70.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.61 LRD 292

10.56%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.42

$8.37 LRD 1,521

-85.19%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.12

$10.40 LRD 1,889

-85.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$10.98 LRD 1,996

-89.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.07

$2.32 LRD 421

-67.67%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$10.57 LRD 1,920

-91.86%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.17

$4.75 LRD 862

-86.95%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$2.04 LRD 371

-72.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥23.76

$5.02 LRD 913

-30.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 ¥78.9

$6.80 LRD 1,236

71.47%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

$2.55 LRD 463

-68.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.25

$3.28 LRD 595

-49.39%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$2.94 LRD 533

-85.37%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.86 ¥141

$12.56 LRD 2,282

66.08%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.26

$2.70 LRD 491

-49.26%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$1.22 LRD 221

-71.31%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.82

$17.75 LRD 3,224

-62.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.22 LRD 222

-6.56%

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

$19.2K ¥129.7K

$12.6K LRD 2.3M

52.16%

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

$16.8K ¥113.4K

$14.8K LRD 2.7M

12.95%

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

$51.2 ¥346

$269 LRD 48.8K

-80.95%

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

$10.16 ¥68.7

$22.92 LRD 4,164

-55.67%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.51 ¥77.9

$93.8 LRD 17.0K

-87.73%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.53 ¥274

$75.7 LRD 13.7K

-46.44%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 ¥102

$8.19 LRD 1,489

83.76%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ¥41.26

$9.71 LRD 1,765

-37.18%

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

$402 ¥2,719

$131 LRD 23.9K

206.02%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥119.5K

$879 LRD 159.6K

1911.64%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.57 ¥308

$18.33 LRD 3,331

148.61%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.26 ¥225

$33.61 LRD 6,108

-1.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥491

$55.5 LRD 10.1K

30.81%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

$70.0 LRD 12.7K

6.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥2,903

$656 LRD 119.2K

-34.53%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ¥1,739

$93.9 LRD 17.1K

173.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 ¥6,055

$1,845 LRD 335.3K

-51.48%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥3,660

$262 LRD 47.6K

106.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 ¥33.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 ¥16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,055 ¥7,132

$704 LRD 128.0K

49.77%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

-18.80%

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

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Last update for Liberia: June 2, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $333 in Liberia. Capital cities: $916 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $666 in Monrovia.

National salary averages: $861 in China, $705 in Liberia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 16% higher in Liberia.

Dining out costs 257% more in Liberia.

Public transport is 80% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 22% 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 Liberia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $865 per month in China and $696 in Liberia, there's a 24% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

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