Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Montserrat Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Montserrat

Name: Montserrat
Address: MS

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $744 in Montserrat.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,946 in Montserrat.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $3,148 in Montserrat.

Living in China costs about 4% less than in Montserrat on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Montserrat 44% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $525 to $1,220, compared to $744–$744 in Montserrat. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$18.48 EC$49.89

-85.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$47.36 EC$128

-49.26%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$7.60 EC$20.52

-34.74%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$6.19 EC$16.72

-49.60%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$2.40 EC$6.48

-80.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$1.45 EC$3.91

-81.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

$2.55 EC$6.89

-61.57%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

$4.33 EC$11.68

-50.35%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$3.27 EC$8.83

-44.04%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$3.03 EC$8.19

-44.55%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$6.96 EC$18.80

-77.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$6.08 EC$16.42

113.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$8.99 EC$24.27

-63.85%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$24.28 EC$65.6

-56.71%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$3.27 EC$8.84

-44.65%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$4.48 EC$12.09

-74.33%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$2.24 EC$6.05

-60.27%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$5.29 EC$14.28

-89.04%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

$21.97 EC$59.3

-47.43%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

$4.32 EC$11.67

-62.73%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$1.80 EC$4.85

-75.56%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

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

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$21.8K EC$58.8K

-9.35%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$16.4K EC$44.4K

3.93%

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

$50.9 ¥349

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

$10.03 ¥68.7

$40.18 EC$108

-75.04%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$56.4 EC$152

-28.81%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

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

$418 ¥2,860

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$1,269 EC$3,427

-27.07%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$1,287 EC$3,476

-57.44%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$1,317 EC$3,556

-18.45%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

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

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Last update for Montserrat: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $834 in China, $1,310 in Montserrat. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 129% more in Montserrat.

Salaries are 57% higher in Montserrat, giving Montserrat 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 Montserrat: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $744 in Montserrat, there's a 17% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

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