For one person, living is cheaper in China: $800 a month against $3,333 in Guam, rent and utilities included – about $30,400 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Guam and in China actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $3,333 in Guam versus $800 in China.
Guam $3,333
China $800
Estimated couple costs with rent: $4,755 in Guam versus $1,266 in China.
Guam $4,755
China $1,266
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $6,178 in Guam versus $1,731 in China.
Guam $6,178
China $1,731
📏
Internal cost variation is higher in Guam: monthly costs span $151 to $2,734, compared to $462–$1,256 in China. City choice carries more weight in Guam.
🌍
Living in Guam is roughly 316% more expensive than in China on average.
📊
Guam (146% above) and China (41% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Guam
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$24.87$24.87
$2.92¥19.42
751.71%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$60.9$60.9
$22.45¥150
171.31%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$15.28$15.28
$5.33¥35.51
186.68%
Cappuccino
$5.46$5.46
$3.04¥20.26
79.61%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.49$2.49
$0.48¥3.22
418.75%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.91$1.91
$0.30¥2.01
536.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.97$5.97
$1.07¥7.09
457.94%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$10.09$10.09
$2.26¥15.05
346.46%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Guam
China
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$3.30$3.30
$1.75¥11.65
88.57%
White Bread(500g)
$6.94$6.94
$1.62¥10.76
328.40%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.45$2.45
$0.99¥6.61
147.47%
Eggs
$6.62$6.62
$1.56¥10.40
324.36%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$23.48$23.48
$13.25¥88.3
77.21%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$10.40$10.40
$3.37¥22.42
208.61%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$13.56$13.56
$11.39¥75.9
19.05%
Apples(1kg)
$7.25$7.25
$1.82¥12.14
298.35%
Banana(1kg)
$4.45$4.45
$1.25¥8.31
256.00%
Oranges(1kg)
$5.59$5.59
$1.55¥10.35
260.65%
Tomato(1kg)
$7.95$7.95
$1.28¥8.52
521.09%
Potato(1kg)
$4.89$4.89
$0.71¥4.71
588.73%
Onion(1kg)
$4.60$4.60
$0.86¥5.73
434.88%
Lettuce(1 head)
$4.37$4.37
$0.65¥4.34
572.31%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$2.01$2.01
$0.59¥3.96
240.68%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$9.58$9.58
$3.76¥25.04
154.79%
Wine(Bottle)
$12.15$12.15
$11.76¥78.3
3.32%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$2.42$2.42
$0.91¥6.08
165.93%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.71$2.71
$1.62¥10.82
67.28%
🚌 Getting Around
Guam
China
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$2.96$2.96
$0.31¥2.09
854.84%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$54.6$54.6
$22.75¥152
140.18%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$10.15$10.15
$1.52¥10.13
567.76%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$2.04$2.04
$0.37¥2.49
451.35%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$32.38$32.38
$7.28¥48.47
344.78%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.31$1.31
$1.25¥8.35
4.80%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$29.2K$29.2K
$19.4K¥129.2K
50.55%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$30.6K$30.6K
$17.1K¥114.0K
79.02%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guam
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$380$380
$55.5¥370
584.09%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$79.9$79.9
$8.29¥55.2
864.17%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$83.4$83.4
$10.97¥73.1
659.80%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Guam
China
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$78.3$78.3
$40.38¥269
93.88%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
-
$14.76¥98.3
-
Cinema Ticket
$13.16$13.16
$6.76¥45.01
94.67%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Guam
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$566$566
$465¥3,097
21.74%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
-
$19.6K¥130.7K
-
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Guam
China
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$59.8$59.8
$46.32¥308
29.17%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$98.5$98.5
$36.30¥242
171.24%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$101$101
$76.3¥508
32.13%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$130$130
$78.8¥525
65.37%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Guam
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,866$1,866
$396¥2,636
371.67%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$1,511$1,511
$240¥1,598
529.80%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$2,808$2,808
$822¥5,477
241.45%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$2,453$2,453
$466¥3,104
426.43%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
-
$4,544¥30.3K
-
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$295$295
$2,282¥15.2K
-87.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Guam
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$4,615$4,615
$1,075¥7,160
329.30%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
0
3.46
-
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Guam: October 19, 2026
Last update for China: October 19, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Guam
$1.5K 45.3%
China
$240 30% ↓ 84.1%$1.3K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guam
$543 16.3%
China
$75 9.3% ↓ 86.2%$468
🛒Groceries & Markets
Guam
$534 16%
China
$209 26.1% ↓ 60.9%$326
🍽Eating Out
Guam
$378 11.3%
China
$89 11.1% ↓ 76.5%$289
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Guam
$175 5.3%
China
$107 13.4% ↓ 39%$68
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Guam
$105 3.1%
China
$54 6.7% ↓ 48.5%$51
🚌Getting Around
Guam
$87 2.6%
China
$27 3.4% ↓ 68.4%$59
🏠Accommodation & Living
Guam
$2.5K 39.7%
China
$466 26.9% ↓ 81%$2K
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Guam
$623 10.1%
China
$83 4.8% ↓ 86.7%$540
🛒Groceries & Markets
Guam
$1.2K 20.2%
China
$480 27.7% ↓ 61.6%$770
🍽Eating Out
Guam
$1.1K 17.4%
China
$287 16.6% ↓ 73.3%$788
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Guam
$389 6.3%
China
$238 13.7% ↓ 39%$152
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Guam
$209 * 3.4%
China
$123 7.1% ↓ 41.4%$87
🚌Getting Around
Guam
$180 2.9%
China
$55 3.2% ↓ 69.1%$124
Categories marked with * are only partly priced – their share counts the items that do have prices.
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $1,777 in Guam, $304 in China. Capital cities: $2,215 in Hagatna vs $945 in Beijing (Pekin).
💰National salary averages: $4,987 in Guam, $870 in China. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 485% higher in Guam.
⭐Dining out costs 214% more in Guam.
⭐Public transport is 216% more expensive in Guam.
⭐Salaries are about 5.7 times higher in Guam, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Guam.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Guam vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Guam?
At $800 per month in China and $3,333 in Guam, there’s a 316% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Guam?
Day-to-day life is cheaper in China: lower grocery prices, cheaper commutes, and more affordable meals out. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.
How do rents compare between China and Guam?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $1,777 in Guam and $304 in China. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How far does $2,000 go in China compared to Guam?
In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Guam it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you’ll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and in Guam?
It depends on what you’re after: China wins on affordability; Guam may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.