Last update: Nov 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Saint Helena

Name: Saint Helena
Address: SH

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Helena: $572 a month against $789 in China, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in China outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

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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

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

$572

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in China and in Saint Helena

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

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in China versus $572 in Saint Helena.

China $789
Saint Helena $572

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in China versus $1,202 in Saint Helena.

China $1,254
Saint Helena $1,202

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in China versus $1,832 in Saint Helena.

China $1,720
Saint Helena $1,832

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $468 to $1,246, compared to $89–$503 in Saint Helena. City choice carries more weight in China.

Living in China is roughly 38% more expensive than in Saint Helena on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 42% lower, Saint Helena 58% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.04 ¥20.21

$15.86 SHP 11.82

-80.83%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.12 ¥147

$67.2 SHP 50.1

-67.08%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.37 ¥35.68

$13.60 SHP 10.14

-60.51%

Cappuccino

$2.93 ¥19.50

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$1.18 SHP 0.88

-59.32%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.01

$0.99 SHP 0.74

-69.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.07 ¥7.14

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.21 ¥14.67

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥11.98

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.74

$1.95 SHP 1.46

-16.92%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.99 ¥6.57

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.77

$5.37 SHP 4.01

-69.83%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.44 ¥89.3

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.46 ¥23.00

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.15 ¥74.1

$10.81 SHP 8.06

3.15%

Apples (1kg)

$1.89 ¥12.58

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.71

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥9.95

Tomato (1kg)

$1.34 ¥8.88

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.76

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.20

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.34

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.60 ¥3.97

$1.32 SHP 0.99

-54.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.82 ¥25.38

$11.84 SHP 8.82

-67.74%

Wine (Bottle)

$12.18 ¥81.0

$15.38 SHP 11.47

-20.81%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.91 ¥6.03

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥10.94

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.07 ¥120

$39.94 SHP 29.78

-54.76%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.53 ¥10.20

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.46

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.69 ¥44.50

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.48

$2.59 SHP 1.93

-50.58%

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

$19.7K ¥131.2K

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

$17.5K ¥116.0K

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

$55.3 ¥368

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

$8.32 ¥55.3

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.12 ¥73.9

$215 SHP 161

-94.84%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.65 ¥264

$20.12 SHP 15.00

97.07%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.17 ¥101

Cinema Ticket

$6.65 ¥44.19

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

$514 ¥3,419

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$34.9K ¥232.0K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.85 ¥305

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.41 ¥235

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 ¥505

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 ¥532

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$380 ¥2,523

$736 SHP 549

-48.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$232 ¥1,540

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$836 ¥5,554

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$462 ¥3,069

$524 SHP 391

-11.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,743 ¥31.5K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,383 ¥15.8K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,117 ¥7,424

$769 SHP 573

45.25%

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 Saint Helena: November 1, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

China

$232 29.4%

Saint Helena

–

Groceries & Markets

China

$212 26.8%

Saint Helena

–

Clothing & Footwear

China

$107 13.5%

Saint Helena

–

Eating Out

China

$89 11.2%

Saint Helena

–

Monthly Utilities & Internet

China

$75 9.5%

Saint Helena

–

Sport & Entertainment

China

$53 6.7%

Saint Helena

–

Getting Around

China

$23 2.9%

Saint Helena

–

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $881 in China, $777 in Saint Helena. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 146% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 209% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 128% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 13% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Saint Helena.

Good to know

🇨🇳 China

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

🕒 Local time

21:21 9:21 PM

13:21 1:21 PM

8 h behind China

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

1,442,965,000

5,633

💱 Currency

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

Saint Helena Pound SHP £

📈 Exchange rate

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

1 SHP = 1.34 USD

1 SHP = 1.2 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

SHP, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇨🇳 Chinese Yuan (¥)

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 6.65 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.44 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

Saint Helena Pound exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.746 SHP (1 SHP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.835 SHP (1 SHP = 1.2 EUR).

USD to CNY in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

China Saint Helena 13,860 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

China
Saint Helena

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 Saint Helena: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $789 per month in China and $572 in Saint Helena, Saint Helena comes out about 28% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Overall, Saint Helena 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.

In Saint Helena, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in China it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

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