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: $1,430 in Cook Islands versus $720 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,663 in Cook Islands versus $1,148 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,896 in Cook Islands versus $1,576 in China.

Living in Cook Islands is roughly 99% more expensive than in China on average.

Cook Islands (4% above) and China (48% below) straddle the global median.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $468 to $1,236, compared to $1,139–$1,721 in Cook Islands. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.87 NZ$20.41

$2.93 ¥19.60

305.12%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$59.9 NZ$103

$22.72 ¥152

163.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.48 NZ$12.87

$5.07 ¥33.95

47.53%

Cappuccino

$3.44 NZ$5.91

$2.94 ¥19.70

17.01%

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

$2.46 NZ$4.23

$0.48 ¥3.21

412.50%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.51 NZ$4.32

$0.30 ¥2.02

736.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.84 NZ$10.04

$1.06 ¥7.10

450.94%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.15 NZ$8.85

$2.25 ¥15.07

128.89%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.31 NZ$3.96

$1.79 ¥11.99

29.05%

White Bread (500g)

$3.17 NZ$5.45

$1.70 ¥11.35

86.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.79 NZ$3.08

$0.96 ¥6.45

86.46%

Eggs

$5.55 NZ$9.54

$1.61 ¥10.79

244.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.65 NZ$16.60

$13.60 ¥91.1

-29.04%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$8.26 NZ$14.21

$3.41 ¥22.84

142.23%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.51 NZ$18.07

$11.07 ¥74.2

-5.06%

Apples (1kg)

$2.88 NZ$4.95

$1.81 ¥12.09

59.12%

Banana (1kg)

$1.80 NZ$3.09

$1.30 ¥8.74

38.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.60 NZ$6.19

$1.48 ¥9.91

143.24%

Tomato (1kg)

$9.51 NZ$16.35

$1.30 ¥8.72

631.54%

Potato (1kg)

$2.97 NZ$5.11

$0.72 ¥4.82

312.50%

Onion (1kg)

$2.37 NZ$4.07

$0.94 ¥6.31

152.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.30 NZ$3.95

$0.61 ¥4.08

277.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.97 NZ$5.10

$0.56 ¥3.73

430.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.84 NZ$20.35

$3.67 ¥24.58

222.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.35 NZ$22.95

$11.90 ¥79.7

12.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.58 NZ$6.15

$0.83 ¥5.56

331.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.82 NZ$8.29

$1.65 ¥11.08

192.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.01 NZ$5.17

$0.29 ¥1.92

937.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.61 ¥151

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$20.68 NZ$35.55

$1.45 ¥9.72

1326.21%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.34 ¥2.31

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$34.68 NZ$59.6

$7.27 ¥48.72

377.03%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.03 NZ$3.50

$1.23 ¥8.26

65.04%

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

$11.9K NZ$20.5K

$19.5K ¥130.9K

-38.90%

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)

$108 NZ$186

$55.5 ¥371

95.31%

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

$50.0 NZ$86.0

$8.51 ¥57.0

488.01%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 NZ$183

$10.81 ¥72.4

883.16%

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)

$1,416 NZ$2,434

$19.5K ¥130.8K

-92.75%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.95 ¥301

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)

$744 NZ$1,279

$385 ¥2,581

92.99%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$729 NZ$1,253

$242 ¥1,623

200.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$407 NZ$700

$837 ¥5,603

-51.34%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$649 NZ$1,116

$474 ¥3,177

36.79%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,619 ¥30.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$990 NZ$1,702

$2,316 ¥15.5K

-57.25%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,119 NZ$7,083

$1,062 ¥7,110

288.02%

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 Cook Islands: September 6, 2026

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $743 in Cook Islands, $295 in China. Capital cities: $1,012 in Avarua vs $957 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $4,121 in Cook Islands, $865 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 152% higher in Cook Islands.

Dining out costs 171% more in Cook Islands.

Salaries are 376% 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 $852 per month in China and $1,430 in Cook Islands, there's a 68% 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.