Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Russia Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Russia

Name: Russia
Address: RU

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $1,005 in Russia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,556 in Russia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $2,107 in Russia.

Living in China costs about 29% less than in Russia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Russia 25% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Russia: monthly costs span $685 to $1,637, compared to $525–$1,220 in China. City choice carries more weight in Russia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$10.28 ₽772

-73.25%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$44.41 ₽3,335

-45.89%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$6.46 ₽485

-23.22%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$2.58 ₽194

20.93%

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

$0.48 ¥3.26

$1.15 ₽86.2

-58.26%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.51 ₽38.05

-47.06%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

$2.52 ₽189

-61.11%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

$3.19 ₽240

-32.60%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$1.21 ₽90.6

51.24%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$0.69 ₽52.1

143.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$1.45 ₽109

-37.24%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$1.75 ₽132

-10.86%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$11.12 ₽835

16.64%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$5.28 ₽397

-38.45%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$10.13 ₽761

3.75%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$1.82 ₽137

-0.55%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

$1.93 ₽145

-32.64%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

$2.12 ₽159

-29.25%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$3.09 ₽232

-62.78%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

$0.84 ₽63.4

-9.52%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$0.72 ₽54.2

23.61%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$1.37 ₽103

-57.66%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

$0.68 ₽51.4

-14.71%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

$3.02 ₽227

15.89%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

$8.10 ₽609

42.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

$0.99 ₽74.1

-21.21%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

$1.95 ₽146

-17.44%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.53 ₽39.69

-16.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

$34.63 ₽2,601

-38.93%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

$2.46 ₽184

-44.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.35 ₽26.39

2.86%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

$6.39 ₽480

3.44%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$0.73 ₽55.1

54.79%

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

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$37.6K ₽2.8M

-47.52%

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

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$35.8K ₽2.7M

-52.32%

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

$50.9 ¥349

$121 ₽9,062

-57.80%

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

$10.03 ¥68.7

$6.60 ₽496

51.97%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

$8.05 ₽604

40.75%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$39.32 ₽2,953

2.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

$21.29 ₽1,599

-29.69%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

$5.54 ₽416

9.93%

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

$418 ¥2,860

$411 ₽30.9K

1.64%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

$9,272 ₽696.4K

86.16%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

$79.1 ₽5,944

-41.37%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

$46.90 ₽3,523

-29.81%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

$115 ₽8,650

-38.25%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$117 ₽8,805

-37.85%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

$583 ₽43.8K

-24.82%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

$378 ₽28.4K

-31.45%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$1,158 ₽87.0K

-20.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$729 ₽54.8K

-24.85%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

$2,674 ₽200.8K

88.75%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

$1,851 ₽139.0K

44.06%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$865 ₽65.0K

24.14%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

16.88

-75.95%

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

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Last update for Russia: April 27, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $446 in Russia. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,335 in Moscow.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $802 in Russia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 56% higher in Russia.

Dining out costs 90% more in Russia.

Public transport is 100% more expensive in China.

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 Russia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $1,161 in Russia, there's a 33% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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.

Rent in Russia 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.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Russia, 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. China wins on affordability; Russia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.