🙂Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $3,373 in Sint Maarten.
🙂Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $6,072 in Sint Maarten.
🙂Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $8,771 in Sint Maarten.
🌍Living in China costs about 79% less than in Sint Maarten on average.
📊China (47% below) and Sint Maarten (152% above) straddle the global median.
📏China ($532–$1,192) and Sint Maarten ($3,135–$3,648) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.86¥19.35
$16.97ANG 30.29
-83.15%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$23.44¥159
$86.3ANG 154
-72.85%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$4.84¥32.75
$8.66ANG 15.45
-44.11%
Cappuccino
$3.11¥21.06
$3.83ANG 6.83
-18.80%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.44¥3.00
$2.91ANG 5.19
-84.88%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.29¥1.99
$3.54ANG 6.31
-91.81%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$0.98¥6.64
$2.91ANG 5.20
-66.32%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.05¥13.88
$4.52ANG 8.07
-54.65%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.84¥12.47
$3.56ANG 6.35
-48.31%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62¥10.94
$2.72ANG 4.85
-40.44%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.93¥6.28
$2.70ANG 4.82
-65.56%
Eggs
$1.63¥11.03
$5.17ANG 9.23
-68.47%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.15¥89.0
$18.57ANG 33.14
-29.19%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.26¥22.09
$15.45ANG 27.58
-78.90%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$10.62¥71.9
$16.17ANG 28.86
-34.32%
Apples(1kg)
$1.80¥12.19
$4.50ANG 8.03
-60.00%
Banana(1kg)
$1.30¥8.77
$3.27ANG 5.83
-60.24%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.46¥9.90
$5.97ANG 10.66
-75.54%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.20¥8.15
$4.84ANG 8.64
-75.21%
Potato(1kg)
$0.76¥5.14
$3.21ANG 5.72
-76.32%
Onion(1kg)
$0.88¥5.93
$3.49ANG 6.24
-74.79%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.57¥3.86
$3.85ANG 6.87
-85.19%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.54¥3.63
$1.71ANG 3.06
-68.42%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.42¥23.17
$7.97ANG 14.22
-57.09%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.75¥79.5
$11.55ANG 20.61
1.73%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.80¥5.40
$2.09ANG 3.73
-61.72%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62¥10.95
$2.13ANG 3.80
-23.94%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.43¥2.94
$2.24ANG 4.00
-80.80%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$20.47¥139
$91.2ANG 163
-77.55%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.36¥9.24
$10.17ANG 18.15
-86.63%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.35¥2.39
$5.30ANG 9.47
-93.40%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.50¥43.97
$5.87ANG 10.49
10.73%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.12¥7.59
$1.48ANG 2.65
-24.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.5K¥131.8K
$18.5KANG 33.0K
5.20%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$16.9K¥114.1K
$15.3KANG 27.4K
9.98%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$51.7¥350
$373ANG 665
-86.12%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$10.17¥68.8
$38.15ANG 68.1
-73.34%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.16¥75.5
$67.7ANG 121
-83.51%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.62¥268
$63.8ANG 114
-37.86%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.53¥98.3
$23.19ANG 41.40
-37.34%
Cinema Ticket
$6.38¥43.19
$12.94ANG 23.10
-50.70%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$407¥2,756
$697ANG 1,245
-41.58%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$17.8K¥120.7K
$11.8KANG 21.1K
50.77%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.53¥308
$69.3ANG 124
-34.34%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$32.31¥219
$45.90ANG 81.9
-29.61%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$72.6¥491
$79.2ANG 141
-8.30%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$74.4¥504
$69.3ANG 124
7.34%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$443¥2,996
$2,268ANG 4,049
-80.48%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$258¥1,747
$2,300ANG 4,105
-88.77%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$910¥6,162
$6,518ANG 11.6K
-86.03%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$543¥3,677
$6,522ANG 11.6K
-91.67%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,934¥33.4K
-
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,398¥16.2K
$11.8KANG 21.1K
-79.71%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Sint Maarten
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,065¥7,205
$1,811ANG 3,233
-41.21%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
4.06
5.5
-26.18%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for China: July 13, 2026
Last update for Sint Maarten: July 11, 2026
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $287 in China, $2,194 in Sint Maarten. Capital cities: $894 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $1,988 in Philipsburg.
💰National salary averages: $855 in China, $2,039 in Sint Maarten. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 664% higher in Sint Maarten.
⭐Dining out costs 238% more in Sint Maarten.
⭐Public transport is 72% more expensive in Sint Maarten.
⭐Salaries are 138% higher in Sint Maarten, 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 Sint Maarten: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Sint Maarten?
At $862 per month in China and $3,392 in Sint Maarten, there's a 293% 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 Sint Maarten?
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 Sint Maarten?
Rent in Sint Maarten 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 Sint Maarten?
In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Sint Maarten 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 Sint Maarten?
It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Sint Maarten may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.