Cost of Living Comparison Between Minsk and Haikou Cost of Living Comparison Between Minsk and Haikou

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $881 in Minsk versus $785 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,359 in Minsk versus $1,194 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,837 in Minsk versus $1,603 in Haikou.

Living in Minsk is roughly 12% more expensive than Haikou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Minsk 34% lower, Haikou 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.44 BYN 26.23

$2.44 ¥16.51

286.89%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$30.84 BYN 85.8

$24.58 ¥166

25.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.35 BYN 14.88

$5.06 ¥34.24

5.73%

Cappuccino

$1.70 BYN 4.71

$3.06 ¥20.71

-44.44%

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

$0.64 BYN 1.77

$0.46 ¥3.08

39.13%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.46 BYN 1.27

$0.33 ¥2.26

39.39%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.20 BYN 3.33

$1.36 ¥9.22

-11.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.11 BYN 5.86

$3.72 ¥25.18

-43.28%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.74 BYN 2.07

$1.79 ¥12.07

-58.66%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 BYN 1.67

$1.37 ¥9.25

-56.20%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.23 BYN 3.42

$0.82 ¥5.54

50.00%

Eggs

$1.29 BYN 3.60

$1.86 ¥12.60

-30.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$6.47 BYN 17.99

$12.66 ¥85.6

-48.89%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$4.11 BYN 11.44

$5.70 ¥38.57

-27.89%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.81 BYN 21.72

$15.45 ¥104

-49.45%

Apples (1kg)

$1.15 BYN 3.21

$0.81 ¥5.48

41.98%

Banana (1kg)

$1.70 BYN 4.73

$0.93 ¥6.26

82.80%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 BYN 5.04

$0.43 ¥2.91

320.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.48 BYN 6.89

$0.93 ¥6.29

166.67%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 BYN 1.30

$0.78 ¥5.25

-39.74%

Onion (1kg)

$0.56 BYN 1.56

$0.71 ¥4.83

-21.13%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.29 BYN 3.58

$0.29 ¥1.96

344.83%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.58 BYN 1.62

$0.52 ¥3.53

11.54%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$1.86 BYN 5.17

$3.00 ¥20.27

-38.00%

Wine (Bottle)

$9.11 BYN 25.32

$11.39 ¥77.0

-20.02%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.99 BYN 2.75

$0.80 ¥5.42

23.75%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.83 BYN 5.09

$1.65 ¥11.17

10.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.30 BYN 0.83

$0.29 ¥1.96

3.45%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$15.50 BYN 43.08

$16.58 ¥112

-6.51%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.41 BYN 3.93

$2.87 ¥19.40

-50.87%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.30 BYN 0.83

$0.36 ¥2.41

-16.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$5.85 BYN 16.26

$6.53 ¥44.17

-10.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.77 BYN 2.15

$1.13 ¥7.61

-31.86%

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

$19.9K BYN 55.4K

$20.4K ¥138.2K

-2.46%

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

$23.6K BYN 65.7K

$16.2K ¥109.4K

46.03%

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

$54.0 BYN 150

$33.79 ¥228

59.72%

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

$7.58 BYN 21.06

$13.85 ¥93.6

-45.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.56 BYN 29.34

$8.11 ¥54.9

30.21%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.71 BYN 85.4

$32.15 ¥217

-4.48%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.10 BYN 41.98

$5.80 ¥39.25

160.34%

Cinema Ticket

$4.73 BYN 13.16

$5.46 ¥36.92

-13.37%

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

$303 BYN 843

$333 ¥2,251

-8.93%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$10.3K BYN 28.7K

$27.9K ¥188.6K

-63.04%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.8 BYN 141

$41.58 ¥281

22.17%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$43.17 BYN 120

$41.71 ¥282

3.50%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 BYN 314

$42.57 ¥288

165.47%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$97.2 BYN 270

$34.35 ¥232

183.09%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$471 BYN 1,311

$343 ¥2,320

37.38%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$315 BYN 876

$274 ¥1,855

14.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$846 BYN 2,353

$533 ¥3,602

58.90%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$552 BYN 1,534

$472 ¥3,191

16.92%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,519 BYN 7,002

$3,212 ¥21.7K

-21.58%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,607 BYN 4,468

$2,147 ¥14.5K

-25.16%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$945 BYN 2,628

$717 ¥4,851

31.80%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

14.77

4.85

204.54%

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

Last update for Minsk: May 31, 2026

Last update for Haikou: May 30, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $471 in Minsk and $343 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Minsk pays 32% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $31.00 in Minsk vs $25.00 in Haikou. Groceries flip the comparison at $164 vs $212, with Minsk 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

Minsk vs Haikou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Minsk and Haikou differ by about 12% in total monthly costs ($881 vs $785 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Minsk pays 32% more on average, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $471 in Minsk versus $343 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $881 per month in Minsk versus $785 in Haikou – a 12% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 7% less than in Minsk. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

Either city works on $1,200 a month, though Haikou 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.

Safety-wise, Minsk and Haikou are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Haikou gentler on the wallet – expenses run 12% less than in Minsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.