Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuzhou and Midrand Cost of Living Comparison Between Fuzhou and Midrand

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $789 in Fuzhou versus $1,104 in Midrand.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,255 in Fuzhou versus $1,617 in Midrand.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,720 in Fuzhou versus $2,129 in Midrand.

Living in Fuzhou costs roughly 29% less than in Midrand, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Fuzhou 41% lower, Midrand 17% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.86 ¥19.33

$5.39 R 89.2

-46.94%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$23.34 ¥158

$27.80 R 460

-16.04%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.30 ¥35.90

$4.75 R 78.6

11.58%

Cappuccino

$2.71 ¥18.37

$1.42 R 23.43

90.85%

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

$0.43 ¥2.91

$0.99 R 16.36

-56.57%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.25 ¥1.69

$0.80 R 13.31

-68.75%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.86 ¥5.84

$2.18 R 36.02

-60.55%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.44

$2.28 R 37.70

-25.88%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.78 ¥12.03

$1.07 R 17.79

66.36%

White Bread (500g)

$1.32 ¥8.90

$1.01 R 16.76

30.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.11

$1.24 R 20.50

-38.71%

Eggs

$1.39 ¥9.41

$2.47 R 40.83

-43.72%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.72 ¥79.3

$8.48 R 140

38.21%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.04 ¥34.13

$4.76 R 78.8

5.88%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.48 ¥91.2

$6.73 R 111

100.30%

Apples (1kg)

$2.26 ¥15.29

$1.61 R 26.65

40.37%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 ¥9.44

$1.03 R 17.07

34.95%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 ¥12.43

$1.55 R 25.71

18.71%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.23 ¥8.36

$1.38 R 22.77

-10.87%

Potato (1kg)

$0.66 ¥4.49

$1.49 R 24.71

-55.70%

Onion (1kg)

$1.08 ¥7.33

$1.43 R 23.73

-24.48%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.54 ¥3.63

$1.06 R 17.47

-49.06%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.51 ¥3.47

$0.88 R 14.59

-42.05%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.85 ¥19.31

$3.06 R 50.7

-6.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.03 ¥74.6

$5.34 R 88.4

106.55%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.74 ¥4.98

$0.88 R 14.49

-15.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.94 ¥6.37

$1.11 R 18.37

-15.32%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.27 ¥1.82

$0.88 R 14.53

-69.32%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$41.22 ¥279

$52.1 R 863

-20.90%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.38 ¥9.31

$1.13 R 18.78

22.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.28 ¥1.92

$0.57 R 9.37

-50.88%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.64 ¥44.91

$3.99 R 66.0

66.42%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 ¥8.04

$1.22 R 20.19

-2.46%

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

$20.7K ¥140.4K

$22.8K R 377.0K

-8.89%

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

$17.5K ¥118.4K

$23.6K R 391.1K

-25.96%

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

$38.61 ¥261

$98.7 R 1,634

-60.90%

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

$9.76 ¥66.1

$22.48 R 372

-56.58%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$7.45 ¥50.5

$43.69 R 723

-82.95%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.58 ¥308

$55.3 R 915

-17.53%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.18 ¥96.0

$4.40 R 72.8

222.27%

Cinema Ticket

$6.90 ¥46.70

$7.46 R 123

-7.51%

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

$223 ¥1,511

$169 R 2,801

31.95%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$9,409 ¥63.7K

$4,880 R 80.8K

92.81%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$53.9 ¥365

$50.0 R 828

7.77%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.01 ¥183

$33.38 R 553

-19.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.8 ¥547

$79.5 R 1,316

1.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$89.6 ¥606

$80.0 R 1,324

12.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$355 ¥2,400

$443 R 7,337

-19.98%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$225 ¥1,521

$415 R 6,872

-45.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$834 ¥5,647

$761 R 12.6K

9.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$414 ¥2,805

$721 R 11.9K

-42.54%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,609 ¥31.2K

$842 R 13.9K

447.65%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,258 ¥15.3K

$711 R 11.8K

217.70%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ¥6,559

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.56

11.51

-69.07%

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

Last update for Fuzhou: July 13, 2026

Last update for Midrand: July 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $355 in Fuzhou and $443 in Midrand. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $23.00 in Fuzhou vs $28.00 in Midrand. Groceries flip the comparison at $214 vs $172, with Midrand cheaper for home cooking.

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

Fuzhou vs Midrand: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuzhou wins on cost – living expenses run 40% lower than in Midrand. Housing and daily spending are where you'll feel the difference most, making Fuzhou the obvious pick if budget is a priority.

You'd need roughly $1,184 in Fuzhou and $1,656 in Midrand to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $355 in Fuzhou versus $443 in Midrand. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Fuzhou – a meal for two runs $23.00 versus $28.00 in Midrand. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $789 per month in Fuzhou versus $1,104 in Midrand – a 40% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Fuzhou gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Fuzhou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 40% less than in Midrand. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.