Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Tunisia

For one person, living is cheaper in Tunisia: $681 a month against $800 in China, rent and utilities included – about $1,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

🇨🇳 China
$800
/mo nomad
🇹🇳 Tunisia
$681
/mo nomad
Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in China and in Tunisia

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 Tunisia actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $800 in China versus $681 in Tunisia.

  • China $800
  • Tunisia $681

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,266 in China versus $1,067 in Tunisia.

  • China $1,266
  • Tunisia $1,067

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,731 in China versus $1,453 in Tunisia.

  • China $1,731
  • Tunisia $1,453

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $462 to $1,256, compared to $446–$846 in Tunisia. City choice carries more weight in China.

Living in China is roughly 17% more expensive than in Tunisia on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 41% lower, Tunisia 50% lower.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
China
Tunisia
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$2.92 ¥19.50
$3.99 TND 11.96
-26.82%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$22.45 ¥150
$20.01 TND 59.9
12.19%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$5.33 ¥35.65
$5.14 TND 15.40
3.70%
Cappuccino
$3.04 ¥20.34
$0.95 TND 2.85
220.00%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.48 ¥3.23
$0.70 TND 2.08
-31.43%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.30 ¥2.02
$0.32 TND 0.97
-6.25%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$1.07 ¥7.12
$1.66 TND 4.98
-35.54%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.26 ¥15.11
$2.00 TND 5.99
13.00%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
China
Tunisia
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.75 ¥11.70
$0.50 TND 1.51
250.00%
White Bread (500g)
$1.62 ¥10.80
$0.21 TND 0.63
671.43%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$0.99 ¥6.63
$1.43 TND 4.27
-30.77%
Eggs
$1.56 ¥10.44
$1.55 TND 4.64
0.65%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$13.25 ¥88.6
$10.78 TND 32.30
22.91%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$3.37 ¥22.50
$5.77 TND 17.28
-41.59%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$11.39 ¥76.2
$14.54 TND 43.55
-21.66%
Apples (1kg)
$1.82 ¥12.19
$1.97 TND 5.89
-7.61%
Banana (1kg)
$1.25 ¥8.34
$3.42 TND 10.25
-63.45%
Oranges (1kg)
$1.55 ¥10.39
$1.12 TND 3.35
38.39%
Tomato (1kg)
$1.28 ¥8.55
$0.78 TND 2.35
64.10%
Potato (1kg)
$0.71 ¥4.72
$0.77 TND 2.32
-7.79%
Onion (1kg)
$0.86 ¥5.75
$0.62 TND 1.85
38.71%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.65 ¥4.36
$0.45 TND 1.35
44.44%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$0.59 ¥3.97
$0.29 TND 0.88
103.45%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$3.76 ¥25.14
$3.60 TND 10.77
4.44%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.76 ¥78.6
$6.77 TND 20.29
73.71%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$0.91 ¥6.11
$1.23 TND 3.67
-26.02%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.62 ¥10.86
$1.30 TND 3.90
24.62%
🚌 Getting Around
China
Tunisia
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.31 ¥2.10
$0.35 TND 1.06
-11.43%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$22.75 ¥152
$9.96 TND 29.82
128.41%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$1.52 ¥10.17
$0.29 TND 0.85
424.14%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$0.37 ¥2.50
$0.32 TND 0.97
15.62%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$7.28 ¥48.66
$3.91 TND 11.71
86.19%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.25 ¥8.38
$0.88 TND 2.64
42.05%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$19.4K ¥129.7K
$39.4K TND 117.9K
-50.72%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$17.1K ¥114.4K
$36.8K TND 110.1K
-53.44%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
Tunisia
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$55.5 ¥371
$55.1 TND 165
0.74%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.29 ¥55.4
$10.09 TND 30.20
-17.84%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$10.97 ¥73.3
$19.94 TND 59.7
-44.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
China
Tunisia
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$40.38 ¥270
$26.25 TND 78.6
53.83%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.76 ¥98.7
$11.62 TND 34.80
27.02%
Cinema Ticket
$6.76 ¥45.18
$5.29 TND 15.85
27.79%
🧸 Childcare & Education
China
Tunisia
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$465 ¥3,108
$83.1 TND 249
459.26%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$19.6K ¥131.2K
$2,716 TND 8,135
622.52%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
China
Tunisia
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$46.32 ¥310
$40.36 TND 121
14.77%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$36.30 ¥243
$53.3 TND 160
-31.93%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$76.3 ¥510
$99.0 TND 297
-23.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.8 ¥527
$75.8 TND 227
3.98%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
China
Tunisia
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$396 ¥2,646
$224 TND 671
76.57%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$240 ¥1,604
$156 TND 469
53.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$822 ¥5,499
$386 TND 1,157
112.93%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$466 ¥3,116
$269 TND 804
73.50%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$4,544 ¥30.4K
$1,020 TND 3,054
345.69%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$2,282 ¥15.3K
$631 TND 1,890
261.60%
💵 Salaries & Financials
China
Tunisia
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$1,075 ¥7,188
$321 TND 962
234.69%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
3.46
10.98
-68.49%

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

Last update for China: October 19, 2026

Last update for Tunisia: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Accommodation & Living
China
$240
Tunisia
$156 34.8% $83
Groceries & Markets
China
$209
Tunisia
$194 7.2% $15
Clothing & Footwear
China
$107
Tunisia
$121 13% $14
Eating Out
China
$89
Tunisia
$75 15.4% $14
Monthly Utilities & Internet
China
$75
Tunisia
$85 13.9% $10
Sport & Entertainment
China
$54
Tunisia
$37 31.7% $17
Getting Around
China
$27
Tunisia
$13 51.6% $14

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $299 in China, $204 in Tunisia. Capital cities: $945 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $382 in Tunis.

National salary averages: $870 in China, $309 in Tunisia. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 47% higher in China.

Dining out costs 17% more in China.

Public transport is 70% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 182% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

Good to know
🇨🇳 China
🇹🇳 Tunisia
🕒 Local time
19:37 7:37 PM
12:37 12:37 PM
7 h behind China
🌤 Weather
👥 Population
1,442,965,000
11,565,204
💱 Currency
Exchange rates and currency converter

TND, USD, EUR to CNY – Chinese Yuan Converter

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

Tunisian Dinar exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 2.99 TND (1 TND = 0.334 USD). 1 EUR = 3.37 TND (1 TND = 0.297 EUR).

On the map
Between locations
  • China Tunisia 8,640 km ≈ 11 h nonstop flight
From you
  • China
  • Tunisia

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 Tunisia: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Tunisia?
At $800 per month in China and $681 in Tunisia, there's a 17% 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 Tunisia?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in Tunisia: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. 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 Tunisia?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $299 in China and $204 in Tunisia. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $1,000 go in China compared to Tunisia?
In Tunisia, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in China 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 Tunisia?
It depends on what you're after: Tunisia wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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