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: $1,024 in Minsk versus $804 in Haikou.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,626 in Minsk versus $1,136 in Haikou.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,228 in Minsk versus $1,468 in Haikou.

Living in Minsk is roughly 27% more expensive than in Haikou, driven mainly by Clothing & Footwear.

Both cities sit below the global median: Minsk 25% lower, Haikou 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$9.97 BYN 30.71

$4.37 ¥29.31

128.15%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$48.46 BYN 149

$15.16 ¥102

219.66%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$7.38 BYN 22.73

$6.03 ¥40.47

22.39%

Cappuccino

$2.31 BYN 7.12

$2.40 ¥16.09

-3.75%

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

$0.99 BYN 3.04

$0.80 ¥5.40

23.75%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.56 BYN 1.73

$0.37 ¥2.46

51.35%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.45 BYN 4.46

$1.46 ¥9.78

-0.68%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.49 BYN 7.68

$2.69 ¥18.07

-7.43%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.93 BYN 2.86

$2.07 ¥13.86

-55.07%

White Bread (500g)

$0.67 BYN 2.06

$1.45 ¥9.75

-53.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.26 BYN 3.89

$0.69 ¥4.60

82.61%

Eggs

$1.59 BYN 4.90

$1.35 ¥9.07

17.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.72 BYN 23.79

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.05 BYN 15.55

$3.91 ¥26.21

29.16%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.85 BYN 33.41

$15.82 ¥106

-31.42%

Apples (1kg)

$1.57 BYN 4.83

$1.69 ¥11.31

-7.10%

Banana (1kg)

$1.68 BYN 5.17

$0.93 ¥6.24

80.65%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.17 BYN 6.67

$1.09 ¥7.33

99.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.80 BYN 8.62

$0.91 ¥6.08

207.69%

Potato (1kg)

$0.68 BYN 2.09

$0.83 ¥5.55

-18.07%

Onion (1kg)

$0.71 BYN 2.20

$0.73 ¥4.90

-2.74%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.57 BYN 4.83

$0.46 ¥3.09

241.30%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.65 BYN 2.01

$0.56 ¥3.77

16.07%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.65 BYN 8.17

$3.14 ¥21.04

-15.61%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.33 BYN 25.65

$8.86 ¥59.5

-5.98%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.98 BYN 3.02

$0.57 ¥3.83

71.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.91 BYN 5.89

$1.22 ¥8.21

56.56%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.32 BYN 0.99

$0.93 ¥6.27

-65.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$18.68 BYN 57.5

$52.8 ¥354

-64.61%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.62 BYN 4.98

$2.22 ¥14.89

-27.03%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.50 BYN 1.55

$0.43 ¥2.87

16.28%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$10.01 BYN 30.84

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.84 BYN 2.58

$1.23 ¥8.27

-31.71%

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

$23.8K BYN 73.3K

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

$22.8K BYN 70.2K

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

$59.0 BYN 182

$35.52 ¥238

66.02%

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

$8.18 BYN 25.18

$13.40 ¥89.9

-38.96%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$13.15 BYN 40.50

$13.29 ¥89.2

-1.05%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$37.17 BYN 114

$44.71 ¥300

-16.86%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$20.59 BYN 63.4

$6.17 ¥41.41

233.71%

Cinema Ticket

$6.00 BYN 18.49

$4.59 ¥30.79

30.72%

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

$375 BYN 1,154

$865 ¥5,805

-56.70%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$24.3K BYN 74.8K

$19.5K ¥131.0K

24.43%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$51.8 BYN 160

$26.31 ¥177

96.85%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$44.81 BYN 138

$34.56 ¥232

29.66%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$106 BYN 328

$43.97 ¥295

141.91%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 BYN 332

$37.48 ¥251

187.41%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$554 BYN 1,707

$371 ¥2,488

49.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$375 BYN 1,155

$293 ¥1,963

28.15%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$929 BYN 2,862

$582 ¥3,907

59.61%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$682 BYN 2,099

$361 ¥2,422

88.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,507 BYN 7,721

$3,200 ¥21.5K

-21.67%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,606 BYN 4,947

$2,158 ¥14.5K

-25.58%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$912 BYN 2,810

$729 ¥4,891

25.17%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

15.92

3.85

313.51%

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

Last update for Minsk: August 29, 2026

Last update for Haikou: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $554 in Minsk and $371 in Haikou. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Minsk pays 25% 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: $48.00 in Minsk vs $15.00 in Haikou for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $192 vs $169 per month, with Haikou 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

Minsk vs Haikou: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Minsk and Haikou differ by about 27% in total monthly costs ($1,024 vs $804 including rent). Haikou is meaningfully more affordable – a gap that matters a lot on a fixed or modest income.

Average pay runs 25% higher in Minsk, 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: $554 in Minsk versus $371 in Haikou. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

All in, you'll spend $1,024 per month in Minsk versus $804 in Haikou – a 27% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

A monthly transit pass in Haikou runs roughly 183% less than in Minsk. Both cities have functional networks, but the price difference matters if you're watching your budget.

At $804 in Haikou versus $1,024 in Minsk, a $2,000 budget is realistic in Haikou but tight or insufficient in Minsk. The gap between the two cities makes Haikou 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.

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 27% less than in Minsk. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.