Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Monaco

For one person, living is cheaper in China: $791 a month against $9,177 in Monaco, rent and utilities included – about $100,600 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

China
Monaco
🇨🇳 China
$791
/mo nomad
🇲🇨 Monaco
$9,177
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in China and in Monaco

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in China and in Monaco actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $791 in China versus $9,177 in Monaco.

  • China $791
  • Monaco $9,177

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,251 in China versus $11.9K in Monaco.

  • China $1,251
  • Monaco $11.9K

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,711 in China versus $14.6K in Monaco.

  • China $1,711
  • Monaco $14.6K

Internal cost variation is higher in Monaco: monthly costs span $8,277 to $14.0K, compared to $465–$1,222 in China. City choice carries more weight in Monaco.

Living in China costs about 91% less than in Monaco on average.

China (42% below) and Monaco (574% above) straddle the global median.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Monaco
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.98 ¥19.81
$27.72 €24.84
-89.25%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.09 ¥147
$163 €146
-86.44%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.20 ¥34.60
$12.80 €11.47
-59.38%
Cappuccino
$2.97 ¥19.74
$4.37 €3.91
-32.04%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ¥3.19
$5.86 €5.26
-91.81%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ¥2.01
$7.66 €6.86
-96.08%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.08 ¥7.18
$10.22 €9.16
-89.43%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.28 ¥15.15
$9.95 €8.92
-77.09%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Monaco
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.80 ¥11.96
$1.86 €1.66
-3.23%
White Bread (500g)
$1.68 ¥11.15
$4.54 €4.07
-63.00%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.92 ¥6.13
$3.64 €3.26
-74.73%
Eggs
$1.61 ¥10.73
$5.10 €4.57
-68.43%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.38 ¥89.1
$18.00 €16.13
-25.67%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.35 ¥22.28
$18.51 €16.59
-81.90%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.35 ¥75.5
$21.85 €19.58
-48.05%
Apples (1kg)
$1.82 ¥12.12
$3.85 €3.45
-52.73%
Banana (1kg)
$1.31 ¥8.69
$5.84 €5.23
-77.57%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.49 ¥9.89
$3.54 €3.17
-57.91%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.27 ¥8.47
$5.77 €5.17
-77.99%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ¥4.73
$4.56 €4.08
-84.43%
Onion (1kg)
$0.93 ¥6.21
$4.80 €4.30
-80.62%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.62 ¥4.12
$3.55 €3.18
-82.54%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ¥3.74
$6.70 €6.00
-91.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.78 ¥25.15
$15.19 €13.62
-75.12%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.13 ¥80.8
$7.77 €6.96
56.11%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ¥5.54
$1.88 €1.68
-55.85%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.68 ¥11.21
$4.32 €3.87
-61.11%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Monaco
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.92
$2.29 €2.06
-87.34%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$17.83 ¥119
$25.08 €22.47
-28.91%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.49 ¥9.89
$5.53 €4.95
-73.06%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 ¥2.49
$1.91 €1.71
-80.63%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.10 ¥47.24
$98.7 €88.5
-92.81%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.26 ¥8.37
$2.32 €2.08
-45.69%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4K ¥129.4K
$53.9K €48.3K
-63.94%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.5K ¥116.7K
$51.3K €45.9K
-65.79%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Monaco
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$54.6 ¥363
$400 €359
-86.37%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.73 ¥58.1
$52.9 €47.41
-83.50%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.07 ¥73.7
$67.3 €60.3
-83.54%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Monaco
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.77 ¥271
$286 €256
-85.74%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.48 ¥96.4
$51.3 €46.00
-71.80%
Cinema Ticket
$6.78 ¥45.12
$14.27 €12.79
-52.49%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Monaco
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$517 ¥3,438
$2,678 €2,400
-80.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.8K ¥131.8K
$35.1K €31.5K
-43.63%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Monaco
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.53 ¥310
$200 €179
-76.72%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.66 ¥237
$81.2 €72.8
-56.08%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$77.0 ¥512
$193 €173
-60.02%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.3 ¥534
$566 €508
-85.83%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Monaco
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$386 ¥2,567
$9,118 €8,171
-95.77%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$235 ¥1,561
$6,827 €6,118
-96.56%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$822 ¥5,469
$13.5K €12.1K
-93.90%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$453 ¥3,015
$9,227 €8,268
-95.09%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,697 ¥31.3K
$71.8K €64.3K
-93.46%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,372 ¥15.8K
$68.7K €61.5K
-96.55%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Monaco
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,093 ¥7,275
$9,201 €8,245
-88.12%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.46
2.83
22.26%

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

Last update for China: October 24, 2026

Last update for Monaco: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
China
$235
Monaco
$6.8K 2811% $6.6K
Groceries & Markets
China
$210
Monaco
$560 166% $350
Clothing & Footwear
China
$108
Monaco
$468 334% $360
Eating Out
China
$88
Monaco
$438 397% $350
Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
$74
Monaco
$521 600% $446
Sport & Entertainment
China
$54
Monaco
$314 479% $260
Getting Around
China
$22
Monaco
$49 121% $27

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $298 in China, $5,899 in Monaco. Capital cities: $933 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $8,976 in Monaco.

National salary averages: $873 in China, $9,271 in Monaco. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 1880% higher in Monaco.

Dining out costs 586% more in Monaco.

Public transport is 56% more expensive in Monaco.

Salaries are about 11 times higher in Monaco.

Good to know
🇨🇳 China
🇲🇨 Monaco
🕒 Local time
12:54 12:54 PM
05:54 5:54 AM
7 h behind China
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,442,965,000
38,350
💱 Currency
Euro EUR €
Exchange rates and currency converter

EUR, USD to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.41 CNY (1 CNY = 0.135 EUR).

Euro exchange rates as of October 29, 2026: 1 USD = 0.896 EUR (1 EUR = 1.12 USD).

On the map
Between locations
  • China Monaco 8,310 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • China
  • Monaco

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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 Monaco: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Monaco?
At $791 per month in China and $9,177 in Monaco, China comes out about 91% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Monaco?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in China: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between China and Monaco?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $5,899 in Monaco and $298 in China. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How do I choose between living in China and in Monaco?
It depends on what you’re after: China wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.

China vs other spots: cost of living compared

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