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: $713 in China versus $1,006 in Russia.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,557 in Russia.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $2,108 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 $683 to $1,689, compared to $535–$1,206 in China. City choice carries more weight in Russia.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.36

$10.08 ₽730

-71.63%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.29 ¥158

$45.22 ₽3,276

-48.50%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.83 ¥32.66

$6.51 ₽472

-25.81%

Cappuccino

$3.04 ¥20.52

$2.61 ₽189

16.48%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$1.13 ₽81.8

-60.18%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.81

$0.55 ₽40.10

-50.91%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.99 ¥6.71

$2.58 ₽187

-61.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.03 ¥13.74

$3.10 ₽225

-34.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.75 ¥11.86

$1.21 ₽87.5

44.63%

White Bread (500g)

$1.67 ¥11.31

$0.70 ₽50.4

138.57%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.97 ¥6.56

$1.53 ₽111

-36.60%

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.45

$1.75 ₽127

-12.00%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.30 ¥89.9

$11.19 ₽811

18.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.21 ¥21.69

$5.14 ₽372

-37.55%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.79 ¥73.0

$10.21 ₽740

5.68%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.27

$1.76 ₽128

2.84%

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.84

$1.86 ₽135

-29.57%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.15

$2.13 ₽154

-29.58%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.14 ¥7.74

$3.17 ₽230

-64.04%

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.90

$0.85 ₽61.3

-14.12%

Onion (1kg)

$0.87 ¥5.86

$0.74 ₽53.7

17.57%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.85

$1.42 ₽103

-59.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$0.73 ₽52.8

-26.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.53 ¥23.88

$3.01 ₽218

17.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.71 ¥79.2

$9.36 ₽678

25.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.84 ¥5.67

$0.99 ₽71.5

-15.15%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.29

$1.95 ₽142

-14.36%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.75

$0.49 ₽35.45

-16.33%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

$33.86 ₽2,454

-38.63%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.21

$2.45 ₽177

-44.49%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

$0.35 ₽25.44

-5.71%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.86 ¥46.40

$6.19 ₽448

10.82%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.12 ¥7.57

$0.73 ₽52.9

53.42%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

$37.7K ₽2.7M

-49.14%

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

$16.9K ¥114.4K

$35.4K ₽2.6M

-52.25%

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

$51.8 ¥350

$122 ₽8,829

-57.48%

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

$9.85 ¥66.6

$6.50 ₽471

51.54%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.13 ¥75.3

$7.94 ₽576

40.18%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.10 ¥264

$40.40 ₽2,927

-3.22%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.89 ¥101

$21.63 ₽1,568

-31.16%

Cinema Ticket

$6.25 ¥42.24

$5.69 ₽412

9.84%

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

$404 ¥2,732

$413 ₽29.9K

-2.16%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥120.5K

$9,380 ₽679.7K

89.95%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.11 ¥312

$77.7 ₽5,631

-40.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥218

$46.41 ₽3,363

-30.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥491

$113 ₽8,167

-35.52%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥493

$117 ₽8,462

-37.61%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$445 ¥3,009

$585 ₽42.4K

-23.90%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$255 ¥1,727

$378 ₽27.4K

-32.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$927 ¥6,266

$1,133 ₽82.1K

-18.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$532 ¥3,600

$743 ₽53.8K

-28.30%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,943 ¥33.4K

$3,209 ₽232.5K

54.05%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,492 ¥16.9K

$2,055 ₽148.9K

21.26%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,057 ¥7,148

$959 ₽69.5K

10.19%

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: June 6, 2026

Last update for Russia: June 8, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $447 in Russia. Capital cities: $913 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,310 in Moscow.

National salary averages: $862 in China, $846 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 $871 per month in China and $1,186 in Russia, there's a 36% 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.