For one person, living is cheaper in Sudan: $590 a month against $789 in China, rent and utilities included – about $2,400 less a year. Other living expenses account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in China and in Sudan actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in China versus $590 in Sudan.
China $789
Sudan $590
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,254 in China versus $955 in Sudan.
China $1,254
Sudan $955
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in China versus $1,320 in Sudan.
China $1,720
Sudan $1,320
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $468 to $1,246, compared to $462–$661 in Sudan. City choice carries more weight in China.
🌍
Living in China is roughly 34% more expensive than in Sudan on average.
📊
Both countries sit below the global median: China 42% lower, Sudan 56% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
China
Sudan
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$3.04¥20.21
$2.98SDG 1,781
2.01%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.12¥147
$14.17SDG 8,482
56.10%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.37¥35.68
$2.61SDG 1,560
105.75%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter draught)
-
$1.84SDG 1,103
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.09SDG 1,249
-
Cappuccino
$2.93¥19.50
$1.77SDG 1,059
65.54%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48¥3.21
$0.65SDG 387
-26.15%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30¥2.01
$0.59SDG 351
-49.15%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.07¥7.14
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21¥14.67
-
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Sudan
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.80¥11.98
$1.17SDG 701
53.85%
White Bread(500g)
$1.62¥10.74
$1.08SDG 648
50.00%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$0.99¥6.57
$1.05SDG 628
-5.71%
Eggs
$1.62¥10.77
$2.79SDG 1,671
-41.94%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$13.44¥89.3
$6.59SDG 3,942
103.95%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$3.46¥23.00
$8.49SDG 5,079
-59.25%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.15¥74.1
$14.45SDG 8,650
-22.84%
Apples(1kg)
$1.89¥12.58
$4.25SDG 2,546
-55.53%
Banana(1kg)
$1.31¥8.71
$1.54SDG 921
-14.94%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.50¥9.95
$1.56SDG 933
-3.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$1.34¥8.88
$3.27SDG 1,959
-59.02%
Potato(1kg)
$0.72¥4.76
$1.83SDG 1,097
-60.66%
Onion(1kg)
$0.93¥6.20
$1.08SDG 649
-13.89%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.65¥4.34
$0.65SDG 387
-
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.60¥3.97
$0.58SDG 345
3.45%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine(Mid-Range)
-
$3.96SDG 2,369
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.76SDG 456
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.68SDG 1,006
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$3.82¥25.38
$1.78SDG 1,066
114.61%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.18¥81.0
-
-
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91¥6.03
-
-
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.65¥10.94
-
-
🚌 Getting Around
China
Sudan
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.29¥1.91
$0.54SDG 321
-46.30%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$18.07¥120
-
-
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.53¥10.20
$3.68SDG 2,200
-58.42%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.37¥2.46
-
-
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.69¥44.50
$5.01SDG 2,999
33.53%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.28¥8.48
$1.11SDG 663
15.32%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.7K¥131.2K
$4,938SDG 3.0M
299.75%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.5K¥116.0K
$9,865SDG 5.9M
76.95%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Sudan
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$55.3¥368
$46.38SDG 27.8K
19.28%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.32¥55.3
$9.35SDG 5,594
-11.02%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$11.12¥73.9
$31.87SDG 19.1K
-65.11%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Sudan
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.65¥264
$7.88SDG 4,715
403.17%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.17¥101
-
-
Cinema Ticket
$6.65¥44.19
$4.06SDG 2,433
63.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Sudan
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$514¥3,419
$85.1SDG 50.9K
504.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$34.9K¥232.0K
$1,969SDG 1.2M
1672.69%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Sudan
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$45.85¥305
-
-
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$35.41¥235
$8.71SDG 5,216
306.54%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$76.0¥505
-
-
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$80.0¥532
-
-
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Sudan
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$380¥2,523
$528SDG 315.8K
-28.08%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$232¥1,540
$206SDG 123.0K
12.71%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$836¥5,554
$1,175SDG 703.3K
-28.89%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$462¥3,069
$452SDG 270.6K
2.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$4,743¥31.5K
$1,541SDG 922.2K
207.80%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,383¥15.8K
$1,112SDG 665.8K
114.23%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Sudan
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,117¥7,424
$230SDG 137.6K
385.64%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.45
30
-88.50%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for China: November 1, 2026
Last update for Sudan: October 31, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
China
$232 29.4%
Sudan
$206 34.8% ↓ 11.3%$26
🛒Groceries & Markets
China
$212 26.8%
Sudan
$214 36.2% ↑ 1%$2.1
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
China
$107 13.5%
Sudan
$3.9 * 0.7% ↓ 96.3%$103
🍽Eating Out
China
$89 11.2%
Sudan
$58 9.8% ↓ 34.7%$31
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
$75 9.5%
Sudan
$88 14.8% ↑ 17.2%$13
🎉Sport & Entertainment
China
$53 6.7%
Sudan
$16 2.7% ↓ 69.8%$37
🚌Getting Around
China
$23 2.9%
Sudan
$5.8 * 1% ↓ 74.3%$17
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
🏠Accommodation & Living
China
$462 26.9%
Sudan
$452 34.3% ↓ 2.1%$9.6
🛒Groceries & Markets
China
$486 28.3%
Sudan
$530 40.2% ↑ 9%$44
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
China
$237 13.8%
Sudan
$8.7 * 0.7% ↓ 96.3%$229
🍽Eating Out
China
$285 16.6%
Sudan
$187 14.2% ↓ 34.2%$97
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
$83 4.8%
Sudan
$97 7.4% ↑ 16.7%$14
🎉Sport & Entertainment
China
$121 7%
Sudan
$32 * 2.4% ↓ 73.6%$89
🚌Getting Around
China
$46 2.7%
Sudan
$13 * 1% ↓ 72.2%$33
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $298 in China, $640 in Sudan. Capital cities: $942 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $531 in Khartoum.
💰National salary averages: $881 in China, $228 in Sudan. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 115% higher in Sudan.
⭐Dining out costs 57% more in China.
⭐Salaries are about 3.9 times higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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 Sudan: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Sudan?
At $789 per month in China and $590 in Sudan, Sudan comes out about 25% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Does the cost gap hold in every spending category?
Overall, Sudan is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.
How do I choose between living in China and in Sudan?
It depends on what you’re after: Sudan wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.