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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,129 in Midrand versus $740 in Fuzhou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,672 in Midrand versus $1,193 in Fuzhou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,216 in Midrand versus $1,646 in Fuzhou.

Living in Midrand is roughly 53% more expensive than in Fuzhou, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

Both cities sit below the global median: Midrand 18% lower, Fuzhou 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.95 R 95.2

$2.94 ¥19.72

102.38%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$31.03 R 496

$23.25 ¥156

33.46%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$3.14 R 50.3

$5.25 ¥35.24

-40.19%

Cappuccino

$1.90 R 30.34

$2.51 ¥16.85

-24.30%

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

$1.23 R 19.62

$0.47 ¥3.15

161.70%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.95 R 15.13

$0.29 ¥1.97

227.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.14 R 34.23

$0.86 ¥5.75

148.84%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.45 R 39.20

$1.73 ¥11.62

41.62%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.31 R 21.00

$1.98 ¥13.28

-33.84%

White Bread (500g)

$1.17 R 18.75

$1.41 ¥9.47

-17.02%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.33 R 21.28

$0.98 ¥6.56

35.71%

Eggs

$2.72 R 43.45

$1.62 ¥10.87

67.90%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.17 R 147

$7.54 ¥50.6

21.62%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.60 R 89.6

$2.84 ¥19.06

97.18%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.95 R 143

$9.44 ¥63.4

-5.19%

Apples (1kg)

$2.16 R 34.48

$1.78 ¥11.95

21.35%

Banana (1kg)

$1.15 R 18.39

$1.27 ¥8.50

-9.45%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.84 R 29.46

$1.67 ¥11.23

10.18%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.58 R 25.33

$1.11 ¥7.42

42.34%

Potato (1kg)

$1.63 R 26.10

$0.87 ¥5.84

87.36%

Onion (1kg)

$1.83 R 29.31

$1.03 ¥6.91

77.67%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.24 R 19.79

$0.47 ¥3.12

163.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.28 R 20.44

$0.49 ¥3.27

161.22%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.48 R 55.7

$3.00 ¥20.16

16.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.46 R 87.4

$11.06 ¥74.2

-50.63%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R 14.96

$0.76 ¥5.13

23.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.24 R 19.82

$1.21 ¥8.13

2.48%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.54 R 24.56

$0.31 ¥2.11

396.77%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$24.11 ¥162

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.98 R 15.60

$1.46 ¥9.83

-32.88%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.63 R 10.11

$0.31 ¥2.09

103.23%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.78 R 236

$7.18 ¥48.19

105.85%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.50 R 24.02

$1.26 ¥8.48

19.05%

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

$34.1K R 544.7K

$19.4K ¥130.5K

75.15%

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

$30.9K R 493.7K

$15.6K ¥104.9K

97.49%

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

$111 R 1,774

$43.06 ¥289

157.59%

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

$24.67 R 395

$8.41 ¥56.5

193.34%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$38.53 R 616

$9.10 ¥61.0

323.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$32.43 R 519

$42.05 ¥282

-22.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$5.13 R 82.0

$15.14 ¥102

-66.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.35 R 134

$7.42 ¥49.75

12.53%

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

$190 R 3,037

$208 ¥1,398

-8.85%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$5,754 R 92.0K

$11.7K ¥78.7K

-50.96%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$59.9 R 958

$39.49 ¥265

51.71%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$46.76 R 748

$29.04 ¥195

61.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$85.8 R 1,372

$92.0 ¥617

-6.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$87.9 R 1,405

$86.1 ¥578

2.04%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 R 7,927

$430 ¥2,887

15.20%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$463 R 7,408

$238 ¥1,597

94.66%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$851 R 13.6K

$1,037 ¥6,955

-17.88%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$768 R 12.3K

$468 ¥3,137

64.33%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$876 R 14.0K

$4,594 ¥30.8K

-80.94%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$649 R 10.4K

$2,263 ¥15.2K

-71.30%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$992 ¥6,656

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.91

3.22

238.82%

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

Last update for Midrand: August 30, 2026

Last update for Fuzhou: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $496 in Midrand and $430 in Fuzhou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $31.00 in Midrand vs $23.00 in Fuzhou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $203 vs $179 per month, with Fuzhou cheaper across the board.

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

Midrand vs Fuzhou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Fuzhou wins on cost – living expenses run 53% 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 $1,693 in Midrand and $1,110 in Fuzhou 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: $496 in Midrand versus $430 in Fuzhou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 14% higher in Midrand. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

All in, you'll spend $1,129 per month in Midrand versus $740 in Fuzhou – a 53% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $740 in Fuzhou versus $1,129 in Midrand, a $1,000 budget is realistic in Fuzhou but tight or insufficient in Midrand. The gap between the two cities makes Fuzhou the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

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 53% less than in Midrand. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.