For one person, living is cheaper in China: $789 a month against $1,512 in Lithuania, rent and utilities included – about $8,700 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 Lithuania and in China actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,512 in Lithuania versus $789 in China.
Lithuania $1,512
China $789
Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,258 in Lithuania versus $1,254 in China.
Lithuania $2,258
China $1,254
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,005 in Lithuania versus $1,720 in China.
Lithuania $3,005
China $1,720
📏
Lithuania ($918–$1,705) and China ($468–$1,246) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
🌍
Living in Lithuania is roughly 92% more expensive than in China on average.
📊
Lithuania (12% above) and China (42% below) straddle the global median.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Lithuania
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$13.26€11.86
$3.04¥20.25
336.18%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.2€61.0
$22.12¥147
208.50%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$8.92€7.97
$5.37¥35.75
66.11%
Cappuccino
$3.66€3.27
$2.93¥19.54
24.91%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.62€2.34
$0.48¥3.21
445.83%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$2.46€2.20
$0.30¥2.01
720.00%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$5.73€5.12
$1.07¥7.15
435.51%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$4.46€3.99
$2.21¥14.69
101.81%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Lithuania
China
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.48€1.32
$1.80¥12.01
-17.78%
White Bread(500g)
$1.71€1.53
$1.62¥10.76
5.56%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.34€2.09
$0.99¥6.58
136.36%
Eggs
$3.33€2.98
$1.62¥10.80
105.56%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.23€10.05
$13.44¥89.5
-16.44%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$7.97€7.12
$3.46¥23.05
130.35%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.92€10.66
$11.15¥74.2
6.91%
Apples(1kg)
$1.75€1.56
$1.89¥12.60
-7.41%
Banana(1kg)
$1.52€1.36
$1.31¥8.72
16.03%
Oranges(1kg)
$1.94€1.74
$1.50¥9.97
29.33%
Tomato(1kg)
$3.35€3.00
$1.34¥8.90
150.00%
Potato(1kg)
$0.87€0.78
$0.72¥4.77
20.83%
Onion(1kg)
$0.87€0.77
$0.93¥6.21
-6.45%
Lettuce(1 head)
$1.67€1.49
$0.65¥4.35
156.92%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.88€0.79
$0.60¥3.98
46.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$6.04€5.40
$3.82¥25.43
58.12%
Wine(Bottle)
$8.73€7.81
$12.18¥81.1
-28.33%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.74€1.55
$0.91¥6.04
91.21%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.94€1.74
$1.65¥10.96
17.58%
🚌 Getting Around
Lithuania
China
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$1.11€0.99
$0.29¥1.92
282.76%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$38.69€34.60
$18.07¥120
114.11%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$3.17€2.83
$1.53¥10.22
107.19%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$1.21€1.08
$0.37¥2.46
227.03%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$15.73€14.07
$6.69¥44.59
135.13%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.94€1.74
$1.28¥8.50
51.56%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$27.6K€24.7K
$19.7K¥131.5K
39.89%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$27.7K€24.7K
$17.5K¥116.3K
58.41%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lithuania
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$222€198
$55.3¥368
301.19%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$14.53€12.99
$8.32¥55.4
74.64%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$16.70€14.93
$11.12¥74.1
50.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Lithuania
China
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$36.66€32.78
$39.65¥264
-7.54%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$28.68€25.65
$15.17¥101
89.06%
Cinema Ticket
$9.00€8.05
$6.65¥44.27
35.34%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Lithuania
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$611€547
$514¥3,426
18.86%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$10.9K€9,718
$34.9K¥232.5K
-68.87%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Lithuania
China
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$89.1€79.7
$45.85¥305
94.37%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$39.08€34.94
$35.41¥236
10.36%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$93.9€84.0
$76.0¥506
23.55%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$139€125
$80.0¥533
74.28%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Lithuania
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$663€593
$380¥2,528
74.70%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$497€444
$232¥1,543
114.31%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$1,065€952
$836¥5,565
27.49%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$729€652
$462¥3,075
57.92%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$3,604€3,223
$4,743¥31.6K
-24.01%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$2,132€1,907
$2,383¥15.9K
-10.52%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Lithuania
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$1,643€1,469
$1,117¥7,438
47.15%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
3.97
3.45
15.07%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Lithuania: November 2, 2026
Last update for China: November 1, 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
Lithuania
$497 32.9%
China
$232 29.4% ↓ 53.3%$265
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lithuania
$258 17.1%
China
$212 26.8% ↓ 17.9%$46
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lithuania
$253 16.7%
China
$75 9.5% ↓ 70.5%$178
🍽Eating Out
Lithuania
$235 15.5%
China
$89 11.2% ↓ 62.3%$146
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lithuania
$163 10.8%
China
$107 13.5% ↓ 34.4%$56
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lithuania
$55 3.6%
China
$53 6.7% ↓ 3.1%$1.7
🚌Getting Around
Lithuania
$52 3.5%
China
$23 2.9% ↓ 56.8%$30
🏠Accommodation & Living
Lithuania
$729 24.3%
China
$462 26.9% ↓ 36.7%$267
🛒Groceries & Markets
Lithuania
$595 19.8%
China
$486 28.3% ↓ 18.3%$109
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Lithuania
$268 8.9%
China
$83 4.8% ↓ 69%$185
🍽Eating Out
Lithuania
$806 26.8%
China
$285 16.6% ↓ 64.7%$522
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Lithuania
$362 12%
China
$237 13.8% ↓ 34.4%$124
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Lithuania
$138 4.6%
China
$121 7% ↓ 12.3%$17
🚌Getting Around
Lithuania
$107 3.6%
China
$46 2.7% ↓ 57.2%$61
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $564 in Lithuania, $298 in China. Capital cities: $849 in Vilnius vs $942 in Beijing (Pekin).
💰National salary averages: $1,402 in Lithuania, $881 in China. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 89% higher in Lithuania.
⭐Dining out costs 155% more in Lithuania.
⭐Public transport is 83% more expensive in Lithuania.
⭐Salaries are 59% higher in Lithuania, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.
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
Lithuania vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Lithuania?
At $789 per month in China and $1,512 in Lithuania, China comes out about 48% cheaper. 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 Lithuania?
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 Lithuania?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $564 in Lithuania and $298 in China. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How do I choose between living in China and in Lithuania?
It depends on what you’re after: China wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.