Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Seychelles Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Seychelles

Monthly Cost of Living

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
$16.98 SCR 246
-83.45%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.30 ¥158
$68.0 SCR 985
-65.76%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.01 ¥33.93
$6.80 SCR 98.5
-26.32%
Cappuccino
$3.01 ¥20.42
$4.73 SCR 68.5
-36.36%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.45 ¥3.03
$2.21 SCR 31.93
-79.64%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29 ¥1.97
$2.12 SCR 30.64
-86.32%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$0.95 ¥6.42
$8.40 SCR 122
-88.69%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05 ¥13.90
$3.75 SCR 54.3
-45.33%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Seychelles
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.76 ¥11.89
$1.81 SCR 26.14
-2.76%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ¥11.00
$1.61 SCR 23.37
0.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.95 ¥6.46
$1.93 SCR 27.98
-50.78%
Eggs
$1.56 ¥10.57
$3.46 SCR 50.1
-54.91%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.06 ¥88.4
$20.21 SCR 292
-35.38%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.28 ¥22.21
$6.05 SCR 87.6
-45.79%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$10.65 ¥72.1
$9.98 SCR 144
6.71%
Apples (1kg)
$1.78 ¥12.05
$2.04 SCR 29.58
-12.75%
Banana (1kg)
$1.24 ¥8.43
$2.50 SCR 36.19
-50.40%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.50 ¥10.13
$2.34 SCR 33.85
-35.90%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.15 ¥7.80
$5.96 SCR 86.2
-80.70%
Potato (1kg)
$0.75 ¥5.08
$1.35 SCR 19.52
-44.44%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 ¥5.82
$1.31 SCR 18.92
-34.35%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.62 ¥4.17
$1.38 SCR 19.96
-55.07%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ¥3.82
$1.51 SCR 21.90
-62.91%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.51 ¥23.80
$21.56 SCR 312
-83.72%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.66 ¥79.0
$12.05 SCR 174
-3.24%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80 ¥5.41
$3.27 SCR 47.35
-75.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.66 ¥11.26
$5.74 SCR 83.1
-71.08%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Seychelles
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.43 ¥2.93
$0.80 SCR 11.59
-46.25%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$20.86 ¥141
$29.18 SCR 422
-28.51%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.37 ¥9.28
$8.45 SCR 122
-83.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.35 ¥2.39
$2.66 SCR 38.53
-86.84%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$6.63 ¥44.90
$13.97 SCR 202
-52.54%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.14 ¥7.71
$1.48 SCR 21.44
-22.97%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.2K ¥129.9K
$26.8K SCR 387.7K
-28.39%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.8K ¥113.5K
$34.3K SCR 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
$117 SCR 1,686
-56.08%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.16 ¥68.8
$39.94 SCR 578
-74.56%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.51 ¥78.0
$139 SCR 2,006
-91.69%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Seychelles
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.53 ¥275
$67.0 SCR 969
-39.48%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.05 ¥102
$15.52 SCR 225
-3.03%
Cinema Ticket
$6.10 ¥41.33
$5.56 SCR 80.5
9.71%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Seychelles
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$402 ¥2,724
$158 SCR 2,289
154.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$17.7K ¥119.7K
$8,529 SCR 123.5K
107.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Seychelles
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.57 ¥309
$56.6 SCR 820
-19.54%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$33.26 ¥225
$24.89 SCR 360
33.63%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$72.6 ¥492
$68.1 SCR 986
6.56%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.5 ¥504
$67.3 SCR 974
10.66%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Seychelles
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$429 ¥2,908
$933 SCR 13.5K
-53.97%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$257 ¥1,742
$789 SCR 11.4K
-67.41%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$895 ¥6,065
$1,900 SCR 27.5K
-52.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$541 ¥3,667
$1,614 SCR 23.4K
-66.46%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$5,015 ¥34.0K
$718 SCR 10.4K
598.23%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,469 ¥16.7K
$907 SCR 13.1K
172.08%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Seychelles
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,055 ¥7,143
$832 SCR 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.

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