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: $1,104 in Midrand versus $789 in Fuzhou.

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

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

Living in Midrand is roughly 40% more expensive than in Fuzhou, driven mainly by Monthly Utilities & Internet.

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

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$5.39 R 88.9

$2.86 ¥19.30

88.46%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$27.80 R 459

$23.34 ¥158

19.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.75 R 78.4

$5.30 ¥35.84

-10.38%

Cappuccino

$1.42 R 23.36

$2.71 ¥18.34

-47.60%

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

$0.99 R 16.31

$0.43 ¥2.91

130.23%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.80 R 13.27

$0.25 ¥1.69

220.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.18 R 35.91

$0.86 ¥5.83

153.49%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 R 37.59

$1.69 ¥11.42

34.91%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.07 R 17.74

$1.78 ¥12.01

-39.89%

White Bread (500g)

$1.01 R 16.71

$1.32 ¥8.89

-23.48%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.24 R 20.44

$0.76 ¥5.10

63.16%

Eggs

$2.47 R 40.71

$1.39 ¥9.40

77.70%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.48 R 140

$11.72 ¥79.2

-27.65%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.76 R 78.6

$5.04 ¥34.08

-5.56%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.73 R 111

$13.48 ¥91.1

-50.07%

Apples (1kg)

$1.61 R 26.57

$2.26 ¥15.26

-28.76%

Banana (1kg)

$1.03 R 17.02

$1.39 ¥9.42

-25.90%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.55 R 25.63

$1.84 ¥12.41

-15.76%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.38 R 22.70

$1.23 ¥8.34

12.20%

Potato (1kg)

$1.49 R 24.64

$0.66 ¥4.48

125.76%

Onion (1kg)

$1.43 R 23.66

$1.08 ¥7.32

32.41%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.06 R 17.42

$0.54 ¥3.62

96.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.55

$0.51 ¥3.46

72.55%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.06 R 50.5

$2.85 ¥19.28

7.37%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.34 R 88.2

$11.03 ¥74.5

-51.59%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.88 R 14.45

$0.74 ¥4.97

18.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.11 R 18.31

$0.94 ¥6.36

18.09%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.88 R 14.49

$0.27 ¥1.82

225.93%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$52.1 R 860

$41.22 ¥279

26.42%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.13 R 18.72

$1.38 ¥9.29

-18.12%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.57 R 9.34

$0.28 ¥1.91

103.57%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.99 R 65.8

$6.64 ¥44.84

-39.91%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.22 R 20.13

$1.19 ¥8.03

2.52%

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

$22.8K R 375.8K

$20.7K ¥140.2K

9.76%

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

$23.6K R 390.0K

$17.5K ¥118.2K

35.06%

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

$98.7 R 1,630

$38.61 ¥261

155.74%

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

$22.48 R 371

$9.76 ¥66.0

130.33%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$43.69 R 721

$7.45 ¥50.4

486.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$55.3 R 912

$45.58 ¥308

21.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$4.40 R 72.6

$14.18 ¥95.8

-68.97%

Cinema Ticket

$7.46 R 123

$6.90 ¥46.63

8.12%

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

$169 R 2,792

$223 ¥1,508

-24.21%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$4,880 R 80.5K

$9,409 ¥63.6K

-48.13%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.0 R 826

$53.9 ¥364

-7.21%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$33.38 R 551

$27.01 ¥183

23.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$79.5 R 1,312

$80.8 ¥546

-1.56%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.0 R 1,320

$89.6 ¥605

-10.75%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$443 R 7,315

$355 ¥2,397

24.96%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$415 R 6,851

$225 ¥1,519

84.70%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$761 R 12.6K

$834 ¥5,638

-8.84%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$721 R 11.9K

$414 ¥2,801

74.04%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$842 R 13.9K

$4,609 ¥31.1K

-81.74%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$711 R 11.7K

$2,258 ¥15.3K

-68.52%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$969 ¥6,549

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

11.51

3.56

223.31%

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

Last update for Midrand: July 14, 2026

Last update for Fuzhou: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

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

Dining out: $28.00 in Midrand vs $23.00 in Fuzhou. Groceries flip the comparison at $172 vs $214, 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

Midrand vs Fuzhou: 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 $1,656 in Midrand and $1,184 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: $443 in Midrand versus $355 in Fuzhou. 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 $1,104 per month in Midrand versus $789 in Fuzhou – 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.