Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Vietnam Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Vietnam

Name: Vietnam
Address: VN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $711 in China versus $696 in Vietnam.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,131 in China versus $1,098 in Vietnam.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,550 in China versus $1,499 in Vietnam.

Living in China is roughly 2% more expensive than Vietnam on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Vietnam 48% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $525 to $1,220, compared to $489–$839 in Vietnam. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.75 ¥18.83

$1.87 ₫49.1K

47.06%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$24.03 ¥165

$20.99 ₫550.7K

14.48%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.96 ¥33.95

$4.47 ₫117.3K

10.96%

Cappuccino

$3.12 ¥21.37

$1.63 ₫42.7K

91.41%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.48 ¥3.26

$0.50 ₫13.1K

-4.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.27 ¥1.84

$0.27 ₫7,075

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.98 ¥6.73

$0.94 ₫24.7K

4.26%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.15 ¥14.69

$1.49 ₫39.0K

44.30%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.83 ¥12.53

$1.38 ₫36.1K

32.61%

White Bread (500g)

$1.68 ¥11.54

$0.88 ₫23.1K

90.91%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.21

$0.91 ₫23.8K

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.66

$1.45 ₫38.0K

7.59%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$12.97 ¥88.9

$11.50 ₫301.7K

12.78%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.25 ¥22.23

$3.57 ₫93.7K

-8.96%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 ¥72.0

$9.95 ₫260.9K

5.63%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.41

$2.77 ₫72.7K

-34.66%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.90

$1.05 ₫27.5K

23.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.26

$1.32 ₫34.5K

13.64%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.87

$1.12 ₫29.3K

2.68%

Potato (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.20

$1.13 ₫29.8K

-32.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥6.07

$1.18 ₫30.9K

-24.58%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.97

$0.68 ₫17.8K

-14.71%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 ¥3.95

$0.48 ₫12.6K

20.83%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.50 ¥23.95

$1.35 ₫35.4K

159.26%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.55 ¥79.1

$10.55 ₫276.8K

9.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.31

$0.80 ₫20.9K

-2.50%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.61 ¥11.03

$1.41 ₫36.9K

14.18%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.44 ¥3.01

$0.30 ₫7,870

46.67%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$21.15 ¥145

$7.68 ₫201.6K

175.39%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.35

$0.74 ₫19.4K

83.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.44

$0.62 ₫16.2K

-41.94%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ¥45.28

$3.79 ₫99.5K

74.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.13 ¥7.74

$0.86 ₫22.7K

31.40%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$19.7K ¥135.2K

$36.1K ₫946.5M

-45.27%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$17.1K ¥117.0K

$33.4K ₫875.0M

-48.78%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$50.9 ¥349

$69.7 ₫1.8M

-26.99%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$10.03 ¥68.7

$5.55 ₫145.5K

80.72%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.33 ¥77.6

$8.89 ₫233.1K

27.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.13 ¥275

$21.69 ₫569.1K

85.02%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.97 ¥103

$8.04 ₫211.0K

86.19%

Cinema Ticket

$6.09 ¥41.74

$3.94 ₫103.3K

54.57%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$418 ¥2,860

$244 ₫6.4M

71.15%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.3K ¥118.2K

$12.4K ₫324.6M

39.49%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.40 ¥318

$36.27 ₫951.6K

27.93%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.92 ¥226

$24.69 ₫647.8K

33.33%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.1 ¥487

$87.6 ₫2.3M

-18.85%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$72.9 ¥499

$79.5 ₫2.1M

-8.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$438 ¥3,003

$366 ₫9.6M

19.83%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$259 ¥1,775

$247 ₫6.5M

4.87%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$926 ¥6,341

$795 ₫20.9M

16.38%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$548 ¥3,754

$520 ₫13.6M

5.45%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,047 ¥34.6K

$3,563 ₫93.5M

41.63%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,666 ¥18.3K

$1,827 ₫47.9M

45.88%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,074 ¥7,357

$415 ₫10.9M

158.88%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

9.37

-56.67%

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

Last update for China: April 26, 2026

Last update for Vietnam: April 26, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $336 in Vietnam. Capital cities: $886 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $331 in Hanoi.

National salary averages: $834 in China, $340 in Vietnam. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 17% higher in Vietnam.

Public transport is 157% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 145% higher in China, 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 Vietnam: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $873 per month in China and $664 in Vietnam, there's a 31% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Vietnam 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.

Rent in China beats Vietnam across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Vietnam, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In China, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after. Vietnam wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.