🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $1,710 in Seychelles.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $2,571 in Seychelles.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $3,431 in Seychelles.
🌍Living in China costs about 58% less than in Seychelles on average.
📊China (47% below) and Seychelles (28% above) straddle the global median.
📏China ($532–$1,192) and Seychelles ($1,315–$1,984) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Seychelles
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.86¥19.32
$17.59SCR 252
-83.74%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.44¥158
$68.8SCR 985
-65.91%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.84¥32.70
$7.03SCR 101
-31.15%
Cappuccino
$3.11¥21.03
$4.81SCR 68.9
-35.34%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44¥2.99
$2.24SCR 32.05
-80.36%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29¥1.99
$2.14SCR 30.62
-86.45%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.98¥6.63
$8.16SCR 117
-87.99%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05¥13.86
$3.74SCR 53.6
-45.19%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Seychelles
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.84¥12.45
$1.80SCR 25.75
2.22%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62¥10.92
$1.55SCR 22.27
4.52%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.93¥6.27
$1.86SCR 26.72
-50.00%
Eggs
$1.63¥11.01
$3.49SCR 50.0
-53.30%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.15¥88.8
$20.66SCR 296
-36.35%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.26¥22.06
$6.28SCR 90.0
-48.09%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.62¥71.8
$9.72SCR 139
9.26%
Apples(1kg)
$1.80¥12.17
$2.13SCR 30.47
-15.49%
Banana(1kg)
$1.30¥8.76
$2.49SCR 35.71
-47.79%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.46¥9.88
$2.41SCR 34.59
-39.42%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.20¥8.13
$5.96SCR 85.5
-79.87%
Potato(1kg)
$0.76¥5.13
$1.42SCR 20.36
-46.48%
Onion(1kg)
$0.88¥5.93
$1.35SCR 19.40
-34.81%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.57¥3.86
$1.35SCR 19.29
-57.78%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54¥3.62
$1.44SCR 20.63
-62.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.42¥23.14
$22.14SCR 317
-84.55%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.75¥79.4
$11.25SCR 161
4.44%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80¥5.39
$3.23SCR 46.21
-75.23%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62¥10.94
$5.93SCR 84.9
-72.68%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Seychelles
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.43¥2.93
$0.85SCR 12.24
-49.41%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.47¥138
$30.22SCR 433
-32.26%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36¥9.22
$8.42SCR 121
-83.85%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35¥2.39
$2.64SCR 37.83
-86.74%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.50¥43.90
$13.79SCR 198
-52.86%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.12¥7.58
$1.45SCR 20.79
-22.76%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K¥131.6K
$26.7KSCR 382.2K
-27.00%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.9K¥113.9K
$34.1KSCR 488.9K
-50.58%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Seychelles
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$51.7¥349
$115SCR 1,649
-55.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.17¥68.7
$41.28SCR 591
-75.36%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.16¥75.4
$142SCR 2,037
-92.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Seychelles
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.62¥268
$67.9SCR 973
-41.68%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.53¥98.2
$15.36SCR 220
-5.40%
Cinema Ticket
$6.38¥43.12
$5.62SCR 80.6
13.52%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Seychelles
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$407¥2,752
$158SCR 2,264
157.76%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.8K¥120.5K
$8,468SCR 121.3K
110.67%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Seychelles
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.53¥308
$56.4SCR 809
-19.33%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.31¥218
$25.51SCR 365
26.66%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.6¥490
$68.8SCR 986
5.49%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.4¥503
$67.1SCR 962
10.88%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Seychelles
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$443¥2,992
$947SCR 13.6K
-53.25%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$258¥1,745
$802SCR 11.5K
-67.82%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$910¥6,152
$1,942SCR 27.8K
-53.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$543¥3,672
$1,620SCR 23.2K
-66.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,934¥33.3K
$706SCR 10.1K
599.22%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,398¥16.2K
$861SCR 12.3K
178.61%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Seychelles
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,065¥7,194
$867SCR 12.4K
22.76%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.06
16.5
-75.39%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for China: July 13, 2026
Last update for Seychelles: July 13, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $287 in China, $1,008 in Seychelles. Capital cities: $894 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $954 in Victoria.
💰National salary averages: $855 in China, $937 in Seychelles. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 251% higher in Seychelles.
⭐Dining out costs 195% more in Seychelles.
⭐Salaries are 10% higher in Seychelles, and purchasing power comes out stronger 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 Seychelles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Seychelles?
At $862 per month in China and $1,650 in Seychelles, there's a 91% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Seychelles?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: 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.
How do rents compare between China and Seychelles?
Rent in Seychelles is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.
How far does $2,000 go in China compared to Seychelles?
In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Seychelles it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and in Seychelles?
It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Seychelles may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.