Cost of Living Comparison Between Cook Islands and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Cook Islands and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,111 in Cook Islands versus $713 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,703 in Cook Islands versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,295 in Cook Islands versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Cook Islands is roughly 56% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Cook Islands 17% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $535 to $1,206, compared to $857–$1,365 in Cook Islands. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.23 NZ$21.06

$2.86 ¥19.38

327.62%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.8 NZ$103

$23.29 ¥158

156.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.28 NZ$15.97

$4.83 ¥32.71

92.13%

Cappuccino

$4.13 NZ$7.11

$3.04 ¥20.55

35.86%

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

$2.53 NZ$4.35

$0.45 ¥3.03

462.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.34 NZ$4.03

$0.27 ¥1.82

766.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.56 NZ$11.30

$0.99 ¥6.72

562.63%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.38 NZ$9.26

$2.03 ¥13.76

165.02%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.13 NZ$3.67

$1.75 ¥11.88

21.71%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NZ$5.37

$1.67 ¥11.33

86.83%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.61 NZ$2.77

$0.97 ¥6.57

65.98%

Eggs

$5.87 NZ$10.11

$1.54 ¥10.46

281.17%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.80 NZ$16.86

$13.30 ¥90.1

-26.32%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.03 NZ$13.82

$3.21 ¥21.72

150.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.09 NZ$15.65

$10.79 ¥73.1

-15.76%

Apples (1kg)

$3.07 NZ$5.29

$1.81 ¥12.29

69.61%

Banana (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.10

$1.31 ¥8.86

81.68%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.52 NZ$6.05

$1.50 ¥10.16

134.67%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.15 NZ$10.60

$1.14 ¥7.75

439.47%

Potato (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.08

$0.73 ¥4.91

224.66%

Onion (1kg)

$1.95 NZ$3.36

$0.87 ¥5.86

124.14%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.14 NZ$3.68

$0.57 ¥3.85

275.44%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 NZ$5.82

$0.54 ¥3.64

525.93%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$14.85 NZ$25.57

$3.53 ¥23.92

320.68%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.18 NZ$22.70

$11.71 ¥79.3

12.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.55 NZ$6.12

$0.84 ¥5.67

322.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.89 NZ$8.42

$1.67 ¥11.31

192.81%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.97 NZ$5.12

$0.41 ¥2.76

624.39%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.78 ¥141

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$21.13 NZ$36.38

$1.36 ¥9.22

1453.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.21

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.05 NZ$62.1

$6.86 ¥46.46

425.51%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$3.03

$1.12 ¥7.59

57.14%

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

$12.1K NZ$20.8K

$19.2K ¥129.9K

-37.17%

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

$16.9K ¥114.6K

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

$104 NZ$179

$51.8 ¥351

101.10%

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

$30.16 NZ$51.9

$9.85 ¥66.7

206.19%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$105 NZ$180

$11.13 ¥75.4

840.34%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.69 NZ$42.51

$39.10 ¥265

-36.85%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.18 NZ$41.63

$14.89 ¥101

62.39%

Cinema Ticket

$6.80 NZ$11.71

$6.25 ¥42.30

8.80%

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

$404 ¥2,736

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,453 NZ$2,501

$17.8K ¥120.7K

-91.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$67.3 NZ$116

$46.11 ¥312

46.02%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.27 ¥219

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.7 ¥492

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 NZ$128

$72.9 ¥493

2.21%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$321 NZ$553

$445 ¥3,014

-27.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$313 NZ$540

$255 ¥1,729

22.77%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$360 NZ$619

$927 ¥6,275

-61.18%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$469 NZ$807

$532 ¥3,605

-11.91%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,970 NZ$8,557

$4,943 ¥33.5K

0.54%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$724 NZ$1,246

$2,492 ¥16.9K

-70.96%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,039 NZ$6,954

$1,057 ¥7,158

282.10%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

97.04%

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

Last update for Cook Islands: June 9, 2026

Last update for China: June 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $319 in Cook Islands, $286 in China. Capital cities: $154 in Avarua vs $913 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $4,018 in Cook Islands, $862 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 12% higher in Cook Islands.

Dining out costs 186% more in Cook Islands.

Salaries are 366% higher in Cook Islands, giving Cook Islands 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

Cook Islands vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $871 per month in China and $1,111 in Cook Islands, there's a 28% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Cook Islands, 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. China wins on affordability; Cook Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.