Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Montenegro Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Montenegro

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $713 in China versus $1,389 in Montenegro.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $2,125 in Montenegro.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $2,860 in Montenegro.

Living in China costs about 49% less than in Montenegro on average.

China (47% below) and Montenegro (3% above) straddle the global median.

China ($535$1,206) and Montenegro ($975$1,705) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Montenegro
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.86 ¥19.38
$11.80 €10.22
-75.76%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.29 ¥158
$45.96 €39.83
-49.33%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$4.83 ¥32.71
$9.43 €8.17
-48.78%
Cappuccino
$3.04 ¥20.55
$2.30 €1.99
32.17%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 ¥3.03
$2.22 €1.93
-79.73%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.27 ¥1.82
$1.50 €1.30
-82.00%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.99 ¥6.72
$2.82 €2.44
-64.89%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.03 ¥13.76
$3.46 €3.00
-41.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Montenegro
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 ¥11.88
$1.35 €1.17
29.63%
White Bread (500g)
$1.67 ¥11.33
$1.03 €0.89
62.14%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.97 ¥6.57
$2.26 €1.95
-57.08%
Eggs
$1.54 ¥10.46
$3.11 €2.70
-50.48%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.30 ¥90.1
$8.93 €7.74
48.94%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.21 ¥21.72
$7.85 €6.80
-59.11%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.79 ¥73.1
$11.74 €10.18
-8.09%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 ¥12.29
$1.34 €1.16
35.07%
Banana (1kg)
$1.31 ¥8.86
$1.82 €1.57
-28.02%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ¥10.16
$1.64 €1.42
-8.54%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.14 ¥7.75
$2.65 €2.30
-56.98%
Potato (1kg)
$0.73 ¥4.91
$1.05 €0.91
-30.48%
Onion (1kg)
$0.87 ¥5.86
$1.17 €1.02
-25.64%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.57 ¥3.85
$1.60 €1.39
-64.38%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54 ¥3.64
$0.90 €0.78
-40.00%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.53 ¥23.92
$4.12 €3.57
-14.32%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.71 ¥79.3
$5.73 €4.97
104.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.84 ¥5.67
$1.12 €0.97
-25.00%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.67 ¥11.31
$1.79 €1.55
-6.70%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Montenegro
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.41 ¥2.76
$1.18 €1.02
-65.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.78 ¥141
$34.06 €29.52
-38.99%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.36 ¥9.22
$1.15 €1.00
18.26%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.33 ¥2.21
$1.03 €0.89
-67.96%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.86 ¥46.46
$13.63 €11.81
-49.67%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.12 ¥7.59
$1.69 €1.46
-33.73%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K ¥129.9K
$31.2K €27.1K
-38.57%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.9K ¥114.6K
$31.2K €27.0K
-45.73%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Montenegro
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$51.8 ¥351
$125 €108
-58.54%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$9.85 ¥66.7
$18.16 €15.74
-45.76%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.13 ¥75.4
$30.87 €26.76
-63.95%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Montenegro
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$39.10 ¥265
$45.01 €39.01
-13.13%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.89 ¥101
$13.65 €11.83
9.08%
Cinema Ticket
$6.25 ¥42.30
$5.89 €5.11
6.11%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Montenegro
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$404 ¥2,736
$322 €279
25.43%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.8K ¥120.7K
$8,933 €7,742
99.48%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Montenegro
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.11 ¥312
$83.2 €72.1
-44.60%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.27 ¥219
$39.26 €34.03
-17.80%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.7 ¥492
$99.5 €86.3
-26.97%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$72.9 ¥493
$119 €104
-39.02%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Montenegro
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$445 ¥3,014
$689 €597
-35.39%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$255 ¥1,729
$526 €456
-51.42%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$927 ¥6,275
$1,199 €1,039
-22.74%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$532 ¥3,605
$939 €814
-43.31%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,943 ¥33.5K
$3,168 €2,745
56.05%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,492 ¥16.9K
$2,393 €2,074
4.14%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Montenegro
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,057 ¥7,158
$1,053 €913
0.40%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
4.06
5.66
-28.27%

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

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Last update for Montenegro: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $692 in Montenegro. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $634 in Podgorica.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $931 in Montenegro. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 142% higher in Montenegro.

Dining out costs 133% more in Montenegro.

Public transport is 111% more expensive in Montenegro.

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 Montenegro: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Montenegro?
At $871 per month in China and $1,340 in Montenegro, there's a 54% gap. 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 Montenegro?
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.
How do rents compare between China and Montenegro?
Rent in Montenegro 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.
How far does $2,000 go in China vs Montenegro?
In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Montenegro, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and Montenegro?
It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Montenegro may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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