Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Western Sahara Cost of Living Comparison Between China and Western Sahara

Name: Western Sahara
Address: EH

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $712 in China versus $636 in Western Sahara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,132 in China versus $1,031 in Western Sahara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,551 in China versus $1,426 in Western Sahara.

Living in China is roughly 12% more expensive than Western Sahara on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 47% lower, Western Sahara 53% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $520 to $1,209, compared to $636–$636 in Western Sahara. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.81 ¥18.98

$3.90 MAD 35.83

-27.95%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.30 ¥158

$28.73 MAD 264

-18.90%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.01 ¥33.87

$4.52 MAD 41.55

10.84%

Cappuccino

$3.01 ¥20.38

$1.68 MAD 15.40

79.17%

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

$0.45 ¥3.03

$0.49 MAD 4.47

-8.16%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.97

$0.32 MAD 2.93

-9.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.95 ¥6.41

$3.53 MAD 32.49

-73.09%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.05 ¥13.87

$4.51 MAD 41.42

-54.55%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 ¥11.87

$0.84 MAD 7.71

109.52%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥10.98

$0.60 MAD 5.49

170.00%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.95 ¥6.45

$1.81 MAD 16.59

-47.51%

Eggs

$1.56 ¥10.55

$1.43 MAD 13.13

9.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.06 ¥88.3

$11.38 MAD 105

14.76%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.28 ¥22.17

$3.56 MAD 32.68

-7.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.65 ¥72.0

$9.17 MAD 84.3

16.14%

Apples (1kg)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.49 MAD 13.67

19.46%

Banana (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.42

$1.13 MAD 10.38

9.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.50 ¥10.12

$0.67 MAD 6.20

123.88%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.79

$0.56 MAD 5.18

105.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ¥5.07

$0.47 MAD 4.33

59.57%

Onion (1kg)

$0.86 ¥5.81

$0.34 MAD 3.12

152.94%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.17

$0.97 MAD 8.93

-36.08%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.59 MAD 5.45

-5.08%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥23.76

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 ¥78.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 ¥11.25

$3.53 MAD 32.47

-52.97%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.43 ¥2.93

$0.59 MAD 5.46

-27.12%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.86 ¥141

$11.43 MAD 105

82.50%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.37 ¥9.26

$0.73 MAD 6.69

87.67%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

$0.70 MAD 6.40

-50.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.82

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.14 ¥7.69

$1.29 MAD 11.89

-11.63%

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

$19.2K ¥129.7K

$40.2K MAD 369.6K

-52.31%

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

$16.8K ¥113.4K

$26.4K MAD 242.2K

-36.39%

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

$51.2 ¥346

$32.89 MAD 302

55.58%

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

$10.16 ¥68.7

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.51 ¥77.9

$22.49 MAD 207

-48.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.53 ¥274

$23.60 MAD 217

71.74%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 ¥102

$34.93 MAD 321

-56.91%

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ¥41.26

$3.38 MAD 31.10

80.47%

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

$402 ¥2,719

$294 MAD 2,701

36.84%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥119.5K

$3,410 MAD 31.3K

418.26%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$45.57 ¥308

$34.24 MAD 315

33.09%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.26 ¥225

$58.3 MAD 536

-42.99%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.6 ¥491

$73.9 MAD 680

-1.80%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

$80.4 MAD 739

-7.45%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$429 ¥2,903

$350 MAD 3,216

22.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$257 ¥1,739

$174 MAD 1,603

47.43%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$895 ¥6,055

$684 MAD 6,289

30.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$541 ¥3,660

$289 MAD 2,653

87.53%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 ¥33.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 ¥16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,055 ¥7,132

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

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

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Last update for Western Sahara: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $286 in China, $354 in Western Sahara. Capital cities: $916 in Beijing (Pekin) vs $354 in Laayoune.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 24% higher in Western Sahara.

Dining out costs 38% more in Western Sahara.

Public transport is 64% more expensive 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 Western Sahara: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $865 per month in China and $636 in Western Sahara, there's a 36% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Western Sahara 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 Western Sahara across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Western Sahara, $800 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. Western Sahara wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.