Cost of Living Comparison Between Eswatini and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Eswatini and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $239 in Eswatini versus $711 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $383 in Eswatini versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $527 in Eswatini versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Eswatini costs about 66% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Eswatini 82% lower, China 47% lower.

Eswatini ($0–$725) and China ($523–$1,194) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$1.73 SZL 28.29

$2.86 ¥19.51

-39.51%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.47 SZL 466

$23.89 ¥163

19.17%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$2.31 SZL 37.83

$4.77 ¥32.61

-51.57%

Cappuccino

$1.67 SZL 27.30

$3.08 ¥21.02

-45.78%

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

$0.80 SZL 13.12

$0.44 ¥2.99

81.82%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.49 SZL 7.97

$0.27 ¥1.84

81.48%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.52 SZL 24.82

$0.93 ¥6.36

63.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.65 SZL 27.07

$2.04 ¥13.96

-19.12%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.05 SZL 17.22

$1.78 ¥12.16

-41.01%

White Bread (500g)

$0.75 SZL 12.20

$1.60 ¥10.94

-53.13%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 SZL 20.13

$0.98 ¥6.70

25.51%

Eggs

$1.49 SZL 24.36

$1.55 ¥10.60

-3.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.79 SZL 144

$13.22 ¥90.3

-33.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.01 SZL 65.6

$3.39 ¥23.13

18.29%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$4.63 SZL 75.7

$10.52 ¥71.9

-55.99%

Apples (1kg)

$1.33 SZL 21.75

$1.84 ¥12.59

-27.72%

Banana (1kg)

$0.79 SZL 13.01

$1.30 ¥8.89

-39.23%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.09 SZL 17.85

$1.47 ¥10.03

-25.85%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.41 SZL 23.11

$1.15 ¥7.83

22.61%

Potato (1kg)

$0.96 SZL 15.77

$0.72 ¥4.94

33.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.99 SZL 16.25

$0.94 ¥6.40

5.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 SZL 8.64

$0.61 ¥4.16

-13.11%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 SZL 12.14

$0.53 ¥3.61

39.62%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.66 SZL 43.47

$3.54 ¥24.15

-24.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.91 SZL 80.3

$11.89 ¥81.2

-58.70%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.03 SZL 16.86

$0.79 ¥5.39

30.38%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.43 SZL 23.41

$1.69 ¥11.51

-15.38%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.92 SZL 15.07

$0.44 ¥2.98

109.09%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$29.94 SZL 490

$20.98 ¥143

42.71%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.42 SZL 56.0

$1.38 ¥9.39

147.83%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.69 SZL 44.09

$0.35 ¥2.40

668.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.37 SZL 55.2

$6.75 ¥46.13

-50.07%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.21 SZL 19.87

$1.16 ¥7.93

4.31%

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

$17.1K SZL 279.8K

$19.7K ¥134.8K

-13.35%

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

$18.7K SZL 305.9K

$16.9K ¥115.8K

10.32%

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

$75.0 SZL 1,227

$50.3 ¥344

49.17%

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

$26.78 SZL 438

$10.04 ¥68.5

166.73%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$28.48 SZL 466

$11.39 ¥77.8

150.04%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$27.48 SZL 450

$40.16 ¥274

-31.57%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.93 SZL 80.6

$14.68 ¥100

-66.42%

Cinema Ticket

$3.33 SZL 54.5

$6.21 ¥42.39

-46.38%

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

$107 SZL 1,755

$402 ¥2,746

-73.32%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,682 SZL 76.6K

$17.4K ¥119.1K

-73.15%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$42.09 SZL 689

$46.39 ¥317

-9.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$26.58 SZL 435

$32.60 ¥223

-18.47%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$63.7 SZL 1,042

$71.3 ¥487

-10.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$73.2 SZL 1,198

$74.8 ¥511

-2.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$241 SZL 3,948

$429 ¥2,931

-43.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$140 SZL 2,296

$261 ¥1,783

-46.22%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$434 SZL 7,101

$915 ¥6,253

-52.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$329 SZL 5,378

$545 ¥3,725

-39.72%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$342 SZL 5,589

$5,127 ¥35.0K

-93.34%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$254 SZL 4,150

$2,614 ¥17.9K

-90.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$502 SZL 8,220

$1,061 ¥7,244

-52.62%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

9.12

4.06

124.63%

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

Last update for Eswatini: April 12, 2026

Last update for China: April 12, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $82 in Eswatini, $287 in China. Capital cities: $260 in Mbabane vs $914 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $614 in Eswatini, $833 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 250% higher in China.

Dining out costs 110% more in China.

Public transport is 200% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 36% higher in China, giving Eswatini 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

Eswatini vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $859 per month in China and $363 in Eswatini, there's a 137% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In Eswatini, $1,200 covers most cities easily. In China, 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. Eswatini wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.