Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Montserrat

Name: Montserrat
Address: MS

For one person, living is cheaper in China: $789 a month against $927 in Montserrat, rent and utilities included – about $1,700 less a year. The total is higher in Montserrat despite lower rent and utilities.

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Cost of Living Index in China
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China Living Index

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🇨🇳 China

$789

/mo nomad

🇲🇸 Montserrat

$927

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in China and in Montserrat

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 Montserrat actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in China versus $927 in Montserrat.

China $789
Montserrat $927

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in China versus $2,150 in Montserrat.

China $1,254
Montserrat $2,150

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in China versus $3,374 in Montserrat.

China $1,720
Montserrat $3,374

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $468 to $1,246, compared to $922–$922 in Montserrat. City choice carries more weight in China.

Living in China costs about 15% less than in Montserrat on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 42% lower, Montserrat 31% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ¥20.24

$18.86 EC$50.9

-83.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.12 ¥147

$47.27 EC$128

-53.20%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.74

$12.24 EC$33.05

-56.13%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥19.53

$7.04 EC$19.01

-58.38%

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$2.90 EC$7.83

-83.45%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$1.57 EC$4.23

-80.89%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ¥7.15

$2.98 EC$8.04

-64.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.69

$4.43 EC$11.96

-50.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥12.00

$3.53 EC$9.54

-49.01%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.76

$3.02 EC$8.15

-46.36%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.58

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.79

$7.34 EC$19.83

-77.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.44 ¥89.5

$5.98 EC$16.13

124.75%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ¥23.04

$9.04 EC$24.40

-61.73%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 ¥74.2

$22.93 EC$61.9

-51.37%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.60

$3.23 EC$8.73

-41.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.72

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥9.96

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.90

$4.57 EC$12.34

-70.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.76

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.21

$2.23 EC$6.03

-58.30%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.35

$5.05 EC$13.62

-87.13%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.98

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 ¥25.42

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 ¥81.1

$22.43 EC$60.6

-45.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥10.96

$4.45 EC$12.02

-62.92%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$1.86 EC$5.03

-84.41%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.07 ¥120

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ¥10.22

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.46

$4.69 EC$12.67

-92.11%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 ¥44.57

$1.89 EC$5.10

253.97%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.49

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

$19.7K ¥131.4K

$22.5K EC$60.9K

-12.45%

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

$17.5K ¥116.2K

$14.9K EC$40.1K

17.44%

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

$55.3 ¥368

$93.7 EC$253

-40.98%

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

$8.32 ¥55.4

$40.57 EC$110

-79.49%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 ¥74.1

$46.93 EC$127

-76.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 ¥264

$56.5 EC$153

-29.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 ¥101

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 ¥44.26

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

$514 ¥3,424

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K ¥232.4K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.85 ¥305

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.41 ¥236

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 ¥506

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 ¥533

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 ¥2,527

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 ¥1,543

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ¥5,563

$1,300 EC$3,511

-35.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ¥3,074

$1,290 EC$3,483

-64.21%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,743 ¥31.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 ¥15.9K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,117 ¥7,435

$1,587 EC$4,285

-29.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.45

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

Last update for China: November 1, 2026

Last update for Montserrat: November 2, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

China

$232 29.4%

Montserrat

–

Groceries & Markets

China

$212 26.8%

Montserrat

–

Clothing & Footwear

China

$107 13.5%

Montserrat

–

Eating Out

China

$89 11.2%

Montserrat

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

China

$75 9.5%

Montserrat

–

Sport & Entertainment

China

$53 6.7%

Montserrat

–

Getting Around

China

$23 2.9%

Montserrat

–

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $881 in China, $1,301 in Montserrat. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 118% more in Montserrat.

Salaries are 48% higher in Montserrat, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Montserrat.

Good to know

🇨🇳 China

🇲🇸 Montserrat

🕒 Local time

13:59 1:59 PM

01:59 1:59 AM

12 h behind China

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,442,965,000

5,440

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

East Caribbean Dollar XCD $

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

1 XCD = 0.37 USD

1 XCD = 0.33 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

XCD, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 6.66 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.47 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

East Caribbean Dollar exchange rates as of November 6, 2026: 1 USD = 2.7 XCD (1 XCD = 0.37 USD). 1 EUR = 3.03 XCD (1 XCD = 0.33 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

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Between locations

China Montserrat 13,710 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

China
Montserrat

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 Montserrat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $789 per month in China and $927 in Montserrat, China comes out about 15% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Overall, China is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.

It depends on what you’re after: China wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.