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: $720 in China versus $122 in Western Sahara.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,148 in China versus $178 in Western Sahara.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,576 in China versus $233 in Western Sahara.

Living in China is roughly 490% more expensive than in Western Sahara on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: China 48% lower, Western Sahara 91% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $468 to $1,236, compared to $122–$122 in Western Sahara. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.93 ¥19.60

$4.32 MAD 40.61

-32.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$22.72 ¥152

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.07 ¥33.95

$3.42 MAD 32.12

48.25%

Cappuccino

$2.94 ¥19.70

$2.18 MAD 20.47

34.86%

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

$0.48 ¥3.21

$0.42 MAD 3.94

14.29%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.30 ¥2.02

$0.33 MAD 3.13

-9.09%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.06 ¥7.10

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.25 ¥15.07

Milk (1 liter)

$1.79 ¥11.99

White Bread (500g)

$1.70 ¥11.35

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.96 ¥6.45

Eggs

$1.61 ¥10.79

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.60 ¥91.1

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.41 ¥22.84

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.07 ¥74.2

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.09

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.74

Oranges (1kg)

$1.48 ¥9.91

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.72

Potato (1kg)

$0.72 ¥4.82

Onion (1kg)

$0.94 ¥6.31

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.08

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.73

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.67 ¥24.58

Wine (Bottle)

$11.90 ¥79.7

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.56

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 ¥11.08

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$0.72 MAD 6.78

-59.72%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.61 ¥151

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.45 ¥9.72

$0.77 MAD 7.20

88.31%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.31

$0.77 MAD 7.25

-55.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.27 ¥48.72

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.23 ¥8.26

$1.36 MAD 12.81

-9.56%

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

$19.5K ¥130.9K

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

$17.2K ¥115.5K

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

$55.5 ¥371

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

$8.51 ¥57.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.81 ¥72.4

$21.12 MAD 199

-48.82%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 ¥268

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 ¥99.1

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ¥45.09

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

$454 ¥3,042

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ¥130.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.95 ¥301

$48.56 MAD 456

-7.43%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 ¥240

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥514

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ¥518

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ¥2,581

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ¥1,623

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 ¥5,603

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$474 ¥3,177

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,619 ¥30.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,316 ¥15.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ¥7,110

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.47

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

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Last update for Western Sahara: September 6, 2026

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 $852 per month in China and $122 in Western Sahara, there's a 598% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Western Sahara: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 stretches only to regional areas and 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.