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: $720 in China versus $1,997 in Seychelles.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in China versus $3,014 in Seychelles.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,576 in China versus $4,030 in Seychelles.

Living in China costs about 64% less than in Seychelles on average.

China (48% below) and Seychelles (45% above) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $468 to $1,236, compared to $1,768$2,235 in Seychelles. City choice carries more weight in China.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Seychelles
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.93 ¥19.60
$18.73 SCR 270
-84.36%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.72 ¥152
$95.0 SCR 1,370
-76.07%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.07 ¥33.95
$12.62 SCR 182
-59.83%
Cappuccino
$2.94 ¥19.70
$4.48 SCR 64.7
-34.38%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ¥3.21
$2.39 SCR 34.42
-79.92%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ¥2.02
$2.20 SCR 31.75
-86.36%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.06 ¥7.10
$7.68 SCR 111
-86.20%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.25 ¥15.07
$4.03 SCR 58.2
-44.17%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Seychelles
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.79 ¥11.99
$1.88 SCR 27.15
-4.79%
White Bread (500g)
$1.70 ¥11.35
$1.67 SCR 24.04
1.80%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.96 ¥6.45
$2.50 SCR 36.05
-61.60%
Eggs
$1.61 ¥10.79
$3.88 SCR 56.0
-58.51%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.60 ¥91.1
$17.80 SCR 257
-23.60%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.41 ¥22.84
$7.73 SCR 112
-55.89%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.07 ¥74.2
$12.82 SCR 185
-13.65%
Apples (1kg)
$1.81 ¥12.09
$2.24 SCR 32.39
-19.20%
Banana (1kg)
$1.30 ¥8.74
$3.09 SCR 44.65
-57.93%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.48 ¥9.91
$2.01 SCR 29.03
-26.37%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.30 ¥8.72
$7.38 SCR 106
-82.38%
Potato (1kg)
$0.72 ¥4.82
$1.54 SCR 22.29
-53.25%
Onion (1kg)
$0.94 ¥6.31
$1.70 SCR 24.57
-44.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.61 ¥4.08
$1.48 SCR 21.34
-58.78%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.56 ¥3.73
$1.24 SCR 17.90
-54.84%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.67 ¥24.58
$25.31 SCR 365
-85.50%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.90 ¥79.7
$10.90 SCR 157
9.17%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.83 ¥5.56
$3.43 SCR 49.53
-75.80%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65 ¥11.08
$3.94 SCR 56.8
-58.12%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Seychelles
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.29 ¥1.92
$0.75 SCR 10.78
-61.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.61 ¥151
$36.35 SCR 524
-37.80%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.45 ¥9.72
$28.51 SCR 411
-94.91%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.34 ¥2.31
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.27 ¥48.72
$14.17 SCR 204
-48.69%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.23 ¥8.26
$1.53 SCR 22.01
-19.61%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K ¥130.9K
$26.7K SCR 385.2K
-26.81%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.2K ¥115.5K
$33.0K SCR 476.5K
-47.78%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Seychelles
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.5 ¥371
$131 SCR 1,895
-57.77%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.51 ¥57.0
$41.75 SCR 602
-79.62%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.81 ¥72.4
$122 SCR 1,761
-91.15%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Seychelles
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.02 ¥268
$92.3 SCR 1,332
-56.64%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.80 ¥99.1
$8.05 SCR 116
83.85%
Cinema Ticket
$6.73 ¥45.09
$7.93 SCR 114
-15.13%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Seychelles
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$454 ¥3,042
$144 SCR 2,077
215.46%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.5K ¥130.8K
$8,757 SCR 126.3K
123.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Seychelles
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$44.95 ¥301
$38.64 SCR 557
16.33%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.81 ¥240
$24.30 SCR 351
47.37%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.8 ¥514
$77.0 SCR 1,111
-0.34%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$77.3 ¥518
$110 SCR 1,587
-29.76%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Seychelles
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$385 ¥2,581
$948 SCR 13.7K
-59.37%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$242 ¥1,623
$840 SCR 12.1K
-71.15%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$837 ¥5,603
$2,181 SCR 31.5K
-61.64%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$474 ¥3,177
$1,693 SCR 24.4K
-71.97%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,619 ¥30.9K
$699 SCR 10.1K
561.08%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,316 ¥15.5K
$880 SCR 12.7K
163.29%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Seychelles
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,062 ¥7,110
$826 SCR 11.9K
28.54%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.47
12
-71.08%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Last update for Seychelles: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $295 in China, $977 in Seychelles. Capital cities: $957 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $957 in Victoria.

National salary averages: $865 in China, $907 in Seychelles. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 231% higher in Seychelles.

Dining out costs 233% more in Seychelles.

Public transport is 65% more expensive in Seychelles.

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 $852 per month in China and $2,002 in Seychelles, there's a 135% 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.

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