🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $1,696 in Seychelles.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $2,569 in Seychelles.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $3,441 in Seychelles.
🙂Living in China costs about 58% less than in Seychelles on average.
📊China (47% below) and Seychelles (27% above) straddle the global median.
📏China ($520–$1,209) and Seychelles ($1,329–$1,979) 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
$2.81¥19.01
$16.98SCR 246
-83.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.30¥158
$68.0SCR 985
-65.76%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.01¥33.93
$6.80SCR 98.5
-26.32%
Cappuccino
$3.01¥20.42
$4.73SCR 68.5
-36.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45¥3.03
$2.21SCR 31.93
-79.64%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29¥1.97
$2.12SCR 30.64
-86.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.95¥6.42
$8.40SCR 122
-88.69%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05¥13.90
$3.75SCR 54.3
-45.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Seychelles
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.76¥11.89
$1.81SCR 26.14
-2.76%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62¥11.00
$1.61SCR 23.37
0.62%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.95¥6.46
$1.93SCR 27.98
-50.78%
Eggs
$1.56¥10.57
$3.46SCR 50.1
-54.91%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.06¥88.4
$20.21SCR 292
-35.38%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.28¥22.21
$6.05SCR 87.6
-45.79%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.65¥72.1
$9.98SCR 144
6.71%
Apples(1kg)
$1.78¥12.05
$2.04SCR 29.58
-12.75%
Banana(1kg)
$1.24¥8.43
$2.50SCR 36.19
-50.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50¥10.13
$2.34SCR 33.85
-35.90%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.15¥7.80
$5.96SCR 86.2
-80.70%
Potato(1kg)
$0.75¥5.08
$1.35SCR 19.52
-44.44%
Onion(1kg)
$0.86¥5.82
$1.31SCR 18.92
-34.35%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.62¥4.17
$1.38SCR 19.96
-55.07%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56¥3.82
$1.51SCR 21.90
-62.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.51¥23.80
$21.56SCR 312
-83.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.66¥79.0
$12.05SCR 174
-3.24%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80¥5.41
$3.27SCR 47.35
-75.54%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66¥11.26
$5.74SCR 83.1
-71.08%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Seychelles
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.43¥2.93
$0.80SCR 11.59
-46.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.86¥141
$29.18SCR 422
-28.51%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.37¥9.28
$8.45SCR 122
-83.79%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35¥2.39
$2.66SCR 38.53
-86.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.63¥44.90
$13.97SCR 202
-52.54%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.14¥7.71
$1.48SCR 21.44
-22.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K¥129.9K
$26.8KSCR 387.7K
-28.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.8K¥113.5K
$34.3KSCR 495.8K
-51.05%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Seychelles
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$51.2¥347
$117SCR 1,686
-56.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.16¥68.8
$39.94SCR 578
-74.56%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.51¥78.0
$139SCR 2,006
-91.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Seychelles
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$40.53¥275
$67.0SCR 969
-39.48%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.05¥102
$15.52SCR 225
-3.03%
Cinema Ticket
$6.10¥41.33
$5.56SCR 80.5
9.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Seychelles
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$402¥2,724
$158SCR 2,289
154.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.7K¥119.7K
$8,529SCR 123.5K
107.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Seychelles
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.57¥309
$56.6SCR 820
-19.54%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.26¥225
$24.89SCR 360
33.63%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.6¥492
$68.1SCR 986
6.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.5¥504
$67.3SCR 974
10.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Seychelles
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$429¥2,908
$933SCR 13.5K
-53.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$257¥1,742
$789SCR 11.4K
-67.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$895¥6,065
$1,900SCR 27.5K
-52.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$541¥3,667
$1,614SCR 23.4K
-66.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$5,015¥34.0K
$718SCR 10.4K
598.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,469¥16.7K
$907SCR 13.1K
172.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Seychelles
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,055¥7,143
$832SCR 12.0K
26.76%
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: June 1, 2026
Last update for Seychelles: May 30, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $286 in China, $1,000 in Seychelles. Capital cities: $916 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $952 in Victoria.
💰National salary averages: $861 in China, $944 in Seychelles. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 250% higher in Seychelles.
⭐Dining out costs 190% more in Seychelles.
⭐Salaries are 10% higher in Seychelles, giving China 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 Seychelles: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Seychelles?
At $865 per month in China and $1,654 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?
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.
How do rents compare between China and Seychelles?
Rent in Seychelles 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.
How far does $2,000 go in China vs Seychelles?
In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Seychelles, it works in regional areas but 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 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.