Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Mali and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $249 in Mali versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $415 in Mali versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $580 in Mali versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Mali costs about 65% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Mali 81% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Mali: monthly costs span $0 to $910, compared to $532–$1,187 in China. City choice carries more weight in Mali.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$6.54 F CFA 3,669

$2.75 ¥18.80

137.82%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.26 F CFA 20.9K

$24.07 ¥165

54.80%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.37 F CFA 3,577

$4.84 ¥33.11

31.61%

Cappuccino

$1.87 F CFA 1,049

$2.97 ¥20.29

-37.04%

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

$0.79 F CFA 442

$0.45 ¥3.05

75.56%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 F CFA 312

$0.29 ¥2.00

93.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.35 F CFA 1,320

$1.00 ¥6.85

135.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$21.40 F CFA 12.0K

$2.06 ¥14.11

938.83%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.32 F CFA 1,300

$1.82 ¥12.46

27.47%

White Bread (500g)

$3.36 F CFA 1,883

$1.62 ¥11.07

107.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.20

Eggs

$4.63 F CFA 2,596

$1.54 ¥10.55

200.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$17.57 F CFA 9,860

$13.32 ¥91.1

31.91%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.93 F CFA 9,499

$3.27 ¥22.38

417.74%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.51 F CFA 7,582

$10.56 ¥72.2

27.94%

Apples (1kg)

$3.19 F CFA 1,789

$1.76 ¥12.01

81.25%

Banana (1kg)

$1.41 F CFA 794

$1.30 ¥8.91

8.46%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.90 F CFA 1,627

$1.45 ¥9.93

100.00%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.39 F CFA 1,341

$1.19 ¥8.16

100.84%

Potato (1kg)

$1.65 F CFA 926

$0.71 ¥4.83

132.39%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 F CFA 1,028

$0.91 ¥6.23

101.10%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.10 F CFA 54.7

$0.57 ¥3.89

-82.46%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.35 F CFA 1,321

$0.53 ¥3.65

343.40%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$0.94 F CFA 530

$3.50 ¥23.97

-73.14%

Wine (Bottle)

$11.85 ¥81.1

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.46 F CFA 822

$0.84 ¥5.72

73.81%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 F CFA 760

$1.68 ¥11.49

-19.64%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$4.65 F CFA 2,610

$0.44 ¥3.00

956.82%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 ¥142

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.36 ¥9.28

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.23 F CFA 689

$0.35 ¥2.43

251.43%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.65 ¥45.47

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.19 F CFA 669

$1.17 ¥7.99

1.71%

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

$19.1K ¥130.8K

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

$17.1K ¥117.2K

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

$150 F CFA 83.9K

$52.0 ¥355

187.88%

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

$9.65 ¥66.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$57.8 F CFA 32.4K

$11.16 ¥76.3

418.19%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$66.1 F CFA 37.1K

$40.48 ¥277

63.27%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$3.96 F CFA 2,219

$14.75 ¥101

-73.15%

Cinema Ticket

$5.58 F CFA 3,132

$6.35 ¥43.45

-12.13%

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

$77.5 F CFA 43.5K

$410 ¥2,803

-81.09%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥121.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.08 ¥315

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$32.86 ¥225

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ¥487

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$75.3 ¥515

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$177 F CFA 99.2K

$430 ¥2,942

-58.88%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$81.2 F CFA 45.6K

$261 ¥1,784

-68.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$414 F CFA 232.1K

$914 ¥6,254

-54.76%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$306 F CFA 171.5K

$542 ¥3,711

-43.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$9,983 F CFA 5.6M

$5,177 ¥35.4K

92.83%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$853 F CFA 478.6K

$2,630 ¥18.0K

-67.57%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$258 F CFA 144.9K

$1,060 ¥7,250

-75.63%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

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

Last update for Mali: April 20, 2026

Last update for China: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $44 in Mali, $287 in China. Capital cities: $176 in Bamako vs $891 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $266 in Mali, $833 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 552% higher in China.

Dining out costs 133% more in China.

Salaries are 213% higher in China, giving China 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

Mali vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $860 per month in China and $455 in Mali, there's a 89% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

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

In Mali, $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. Mali wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.