Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, AL and Haikou Cost of Living Comparison Between Decatur, AL and Haikou

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,914 per month in Decatur, AL vs $822 in Haikou, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,679 per month in Decatur, AL vs $1,161 in Haikou, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,444 per month in Decatur, AL vs $1,499 in Haikou, rent included.

Decatur, AL costs about 133% more than Haikou, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Decatur, AL sits 39% above the global median, while Haikou is 40% below – they fall on opposite sides of the world average.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.12 $15.12

$4.50 ¥30.13

236.00%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$41.90 $41.90

$15.16 ¥102

176.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.82 $11.82

$6.02 ¥40.35

96.35%

Cappuccino

$4.21 $4.21

$2.41 ¥16.11

74.69%

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

$1.26 $1.26

$0.86 ¥5.73

46.51%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 $1.65

$0.37 ¥2.45

345.95%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$5.12 $5.12

$1.52 ¥10.19

236.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.16 $6.16

$2.62 ¥17.54

135.11%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.55 $0.55

$2.08 ¥13.92

-73.56%

White Bread (500g)

$3.01 $3.01

$1.45 ¥9.73

107.59%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.97 $1.97

$0.70 ¥4.68

181.43%

Eggs

$2.47 $2.47

$1.29 ¥8.66

91.47%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.13 $8.13

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.63 $5.63

$3.98 ¥26.66

41.46%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$12.36 $12.36

$15.45 ¥104

-20.00%

Apples (1kg)

$2.94 $2.94

$1.76 ¥11.77

67.05%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.86 ¥5.79

106.98%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.66 $2.66

$1.14 ¥7.67

133.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.96 $1.96

$0.92 ¥6.17

113.04%

Potato (1kg)

$1.42 $1.42

$0.87 ¥5.83

63.22%

Onion (1kg)

$1.69 $1.69

$0.78 ¥5.23

116.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.57 $2.57

$0.47 ¥3.14

446.81%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.29 $2.29

$0.52 ¥3.52

340.38%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$8.62 $8.62

$3.05 ¥20.45

182.62%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.64 $13.64

$9.13 ¥61.1

49.40%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 $1.78

$0.57 ¥3.84

212.28%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.66 $1.66

$1.17 ¥7.85

41.88%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 ¥5.83

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$53.4 ¥358

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.05 $2.05

$2.29 ¥15.36

-10.48%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.41 $1.41

$0.46 ¥3.09

206.52%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$20.35 $20.35

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 $0.99

$1.25 ¥8.39

-20.80%

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

$37.2K $37.2K

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

$26.4K $26.4K

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

$168 $168

$35.14 ¥235

378.51%

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

$85.1 $85.1

$13.65 ¥91.4

523.59%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$74.6 $74.6

$13.20 ¥88.4

465.45%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.79 ¥307

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$6.23 ¥41.71

Cinema Ticket

$14.81 $14.81

$4.48 ¥30.03

230.58%

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

$1,737 $1,737

$868 ¥5,817

99.96%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$27.6K $27.6K

$19.1K ¥127.7K

44.85%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.54 $44.54

$26.36 ¥177

68.97%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$31.36 $31.36

$35.25 ¥236

-11.04%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$78.7 $78.7

$44.39 ¥297

77.20%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$139 $139

$37.31 ¥250

273.06%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$989 $989

$374 ¥2,502

164.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$874 $874

$292 ¥1,958

199.10%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,677 $1,677

$583 ¥3,903

187.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,372 $1,372

$369 ¥2,471

271.80%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$1,657 $1,657

$3,183 ¥21.3K

-47.95%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,645 $1,645

$2,136 ¥14.3K

-22.98%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$724 ¥4,850

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.06

3.85

57.40%

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

Last update for Decatur, AL: September 8, 2026

Last update for Haikou: September 6, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $989 in Decatur, AL versus $374 in Haikou. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Decatur, AL versus $15.00 in Haikou. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $274 vs $169 – making Haikou the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

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

Decatur, AL vs Haikou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Decatur, AL costs about 133% more than Haikou, with the gap driven mainly by Eating Out. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $2,871 per month in Decatur, AL and $1,233 in Haikou. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Haikou, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $42.00 in Decatur, AL and $15.00 in Haikou. That's a good indicator of the overall restaurant and café pricing gap between the two cities.

Groceries cost about 62% more in Decatur, AL, though it depends on what you buy. Local produce may be comparable; imported and premium items show the biggest price gap.

A $2,000 monthly budget goes further in Haikou, where all-in costs run around $822, than in Decatur, AL at $1,914. In Haikou it covers expenses comfortably, while in Decatur, AL it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

Families tend to lean toward Haikou – lower housing and cheaper childcare make a real difference, especially on a single income or when paying for private education.

If budget matters most, go with Haikou. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Decatur, AL makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.