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: $1,103 in Cook Islands versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,682 in Cook Islands versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,260 in Cook Islands versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Cook Islands is roughly 55% more expensive than China on average.

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

Cook Islands ($850–$1,355) and China ($532–$1,187) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$12.08 NZ$20.66

$2.75 ¥18.80

339.27%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$60.8 NZ$104

$24.07 ¥165

152.76%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.07 NZ$15.51

$4.84 ¥33.11

87.40%

Cappuccino

$4.17 NZ$7.13

$2.97 ¥20.29

40.40%

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

$2.49 NZ$4.26

$0.45 ¥3.05

453.33%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.37 NZ$4.05

$0.29 ¥2.00

717.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$6.69 NZ$11.44

$1.00 ¥6.85

569.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.29 NZ$9.05

$2.06 ¥14.11

156.80%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.17 NZ$3.70

$1.82 ¥12.46

19.23%

White Bread (500g)

$3.12 NZ$5.34

$1.62 ¥11.07

92.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.67 NZ$2.86

$0.91 ¥6.20

83.52%

Eggs

$5.67 NZ$9.70

$1.54 ¥10.55

268.18%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.78 NZ$16.72

$13.32 ¥91.1

-26.58%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$7.68 NZ$13.13

$3.27 ¥22.38

134.86%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.89 NZ$15.21

$10.56 ¥72.2

-15.81%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 NZ$5.03

$1.76 ¥12.01

67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$2.42 NZ$4.14

$1.30 ¥8.91

86.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.62 NZ$6.18

$1.45 ¥9.93

149.66%

Tomato (1kg)

$6.40 NZ$10.95

$1.19 ¥8.16

437.82%

Potato (1kg)

$2.38 NZ$4.08

$0.71 ¥4.83

235.21%

Onion (1kg)

$1.92 NZ$3.29

$0.91 ¥6.23

110.99%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.17 NZ$3.71

$0.57 ¥3.89

280.70%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$3.26 NZ$5.58

$0.53 ¥3.65

515.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$15.29 NZ$26.14

$3.50 ¥23.97

336.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.21 NZ$22.58

$11.85 ¥81.1

11.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$3.53 NZ$6.04

$0.84 ¥5.72

320.24%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.92 NZ$8.42

$1.68 ¥11.49

192.86%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.09 NZ$5.28

$0.44 ¥3.00

602.27%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 ¥142

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$21.22 NZ$36.29

$1.36 ¥9.28

1460.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$36.64 NZ$62.7

$6.65 ¥45.47

450.98%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.76 NZ$3.00

$1.17 ¥7.99

50.43%

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

$12.0K NZ$20.5K

$19.1K ¥130.8K

-37.27%

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

$17.1K ¥117.2K

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

$105 NZ$179

$52.0 ¥355

101.73%

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

$29.92 NZ$51.2

$9.65 ¥66.0

210.05%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$106 NZ$181

$11.16 ¥76.3

847.58%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$24.82 NZ$42.44

$40.48 ¥277

-38.69%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$23.94 NZ$40.94

$14.75 ¥101

62.31%

Cinema Ticket

$6.99 NZ$11.96

$6.35 ¥43.45

10.08%

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

$410 ¥2,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$1,443 NZ$2,467

$17.8K ¥121.8K

-91.90%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$66.8 NZ$114

$46.08 ¥315

44.92%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.86 ¥225

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ¥487

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.4 NZ$129

$75.3 ¥515

0.13%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$314 NZ$537

$430 ¥2,942

-26.94%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$321 NZ$549

$261 ¥1,784

23.13%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$354 NZ$605

$914 ¥6,254

-61.31%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$475 NZ$812

$542 ¥3,711

-12.51%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,153 NZ$8,812

$5,177 ¥35.4K

-0.46%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$751 NZ$1,284

$2,630 ¥18.0K

-71.45%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$4,164 NZ$7,120

$1,060 ¥7,250

292.87%

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: April 21, 2026

Last update for China: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $323 in Cook Islands, $287 in China. Capital cities: $156 in Avarua vs $891 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $4,055 in Cook Islands, $833 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 13% higher in Cook Islands.

Dining out costs 181% more in Cook Islands.

Salaries are 387% 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 $860 per month in China and $1,103 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.