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: $1,092 in Cook Islands versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,690 in Cook Islands versus $1,134 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,288 in Cook Islands versus $1,555 in China.

Living in Cook Islands is roughly 53% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Cook Islands 18% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $518 to $1,224, compared to $837–$1,347 in Cook Islands. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.16 NZ$20.99

$2.82 ¥19.12

331.21%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.6 NZ$105

$23.43 ¥159

158.81%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.21 NZ$15.91

$4.82 ¥32.67

91.08%

Cappuccino

$4.22 NZ$7.28

$2.98 ¥20.18

41.61%

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

$2.51 NZ$4.33

$0.48 ¥3.22

422.92%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.39 NZ$4.12

$0.27 ¥1.81

785.19%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.50 NZ$11.23

$1.01 ¥6.85

543.56%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 NZ$9.48

$2.06 ¥13.98

166.50%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.16 NZ$3.73

$1.82 ¥12.32

18.68%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 NZ$5.48

$1.63 ¥11.04

94.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.64 NZ$2.84

$0.96 ¥6.48

70.83%

Eggs

$5.85 NZ$10.10

$1.55 ¥10.48

277.42%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.90 NZ$17.09

$13.05 ¥88.4

-24.14%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.07 NZ$13.93

$3.24 ¥21.94

149.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.92 NZ$15.40

$10.83 ¥73.4

-17.64%

Apples (1kg)

$3.04 NZ$5.24

$1.75 ¥11.84

73.71%

Banana (1kg)

$2.47 NZ$4.27

$1.28 ¥8.67

92.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.67 NZ$6.33

$1.44 ¥9.77

154.86%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.24 NZ$10.78

$1.18 ¥8.02

428.81%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.11

$0.70 ¥4.77

240.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.93 NZ$3.33

$0.88 ¥5.95

119.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.09 NZ$3.61

$0.58 ¥3.91

260.34%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.38 NZ$5.84

$0.53 ¥3.61

537.74%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.15 NZ$26.15

$3.46 ¥23.45

337.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.36 NZ$23.07

$11.91 ¥80.6

12.17%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.61 NZ$6.23

$0.78 ¥5.27

362.82%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.06 NZ$8.74

$1.62 ¥10.95

212.35%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.93 NZ$5.05

$0.44 ¥2.96

565.91%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.65 ¥140

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$21.30 NZ$36.78

$1.35 ¥9.16

1477.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$35.86 NZ$61.9

$6.49 ¥43.95

452.54%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.77 NZ$3.05

$1.13 ¥7.64

56.64%

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

$12.2K NZ$21.0K

$19.4K ¥131.7K

-37.52%

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

$16.5K ¥112.1K

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

$105 NZ$182

$51.3 ¥348

105.44%

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

$30.13 NZ$52.0

$10.19 ¥69.0

195.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$107 NZ$184

$11.11 ¥75.2

858.78%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.63 NZ$42.53

$39.99 ¥271

-38.41%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$24.51 NZ$42.32

$14.55 ¥98.5

68.45%

Cinema Ticket

$7.01 NZ$12.11

$6.18 ¥41.88

13.43%

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

$416 ¥2,818

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,456 NZ$2,514

$17.2K ¥116.7K

-91.55%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$68.2 NZ$118

$45.94 ¥311

48.48%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.70 ¥221

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$72.2 ¥489

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.1 NZ$126

$74.8 ¥507

-2.37%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$319 NZ$551

$444 ¥3,007

-28.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$325 NZ$562

$253 ¥1,715

28.49%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$362 NZ$626

$931 ¥6,304

-61.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$476 NZ$821

$546 ¥3,696

-12.87%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,983 NZ$8,604

$4,778 ¥32.4K

4.29%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$726 NZ$1,253

$2,418 ¥16.4K

-69.99%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,014 NZ$6,932

$1,069 ¥7,238

275.58%

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: July 21, 2026

Last update for China: July 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $320 in Cook Islands, $287 in China. Capital cities: $158 in Avarua vs $896 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $4,080 in Cook Islands, $856 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 11% higher in Cook Islands.

Dining out costs 186% more in Cook Islands.

Salaries are 377% higher in Cook Islands, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Cook Islands.

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 $1,092 in Cook Islands, there's a 25% 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 China: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 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: China wins on affordability; Cook Islands may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.