Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Russia and China

Name: China
Address: CN

For one person, living is cheaper in China: $800 a month against $1,245 in Russia, rent and utilities included – about $5,300 less a year. Rent and utilities account for most of the difference.

60

Cost of Living Index in Russia
Learn more

Russia Living Index
38

Cost of Living Index in China
Learn more

China Living Index

Jump to prices

🇷🇺 Russia

$1,245

/mo nomad

🇨🇳 China

$800

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Russia and in China

Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Russia and in China actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,245 in Russia versus $800 in China.

Russia $1,245
China $800

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,945 in Russia versus $1,266 in China.

Russia $1,945
China $1,266

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $2,645 in Russia versus $1,731 in China.

Russia $2,645
China $1,731

Internal cost variation is higher in Russia: monthly costs span $81.0 to $1,887, compared to $462–$1,256 in China. City choice carries more weight in Russia.

Living in Russia is roughly 56% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Russia 8% lower, China 41% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$11.70 ₽976

$2.92 ¥19.50

300.68%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$42.07 ₽3,511

$22.45 ¥150

87.39%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.50 ₽542

$5.33 ¥35.65

21.95%

Cappuccino

$3.09 ₽258

$3.04 ¥20.34

1.64%

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

$1.28 ₽107

$0.48 ¥3.23

166.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.62 ₽51.5

$0.30 ¥2.02

106.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.34 ₽195

$1.07 ¥7.12

118.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.06 ₽256

$2.26 ¥15.11

35.40%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.22 ₽101

$1.75 ¥11.70

-30.29%

White Bread (500g)

$0.84 ₽70.2

$1.62 ¥10.80

-48.15%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 ₽123

$0.99 ¥6.63

48.48%

Eggs

$1.62 ₽135

$1.56 ¥10.44

3.85%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.69 ₽976

$13.25 ¥88.6

-11.77%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$5.90 ₽492

$3.37 ¥22.50

75.07%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.88 ₽991

$11.39 ¥76.2

4.30%

Apples (1kg)

$1.92 ₽160

$1.82 ¥12.19

5.49%

Banana (1kg)

$1.78 ₽149

$1.25 ¥8.34

42.40%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 ₽151

$1.55 ¥10.39

16.77%

Tomato (1kg)

$3.13 ₽261

$1.28 ¥8.55

144.53%

Potato (1kg)

$0.75 ₽62.9

$0.71 ¥4.72

5.63%

Onion (1kg)

$0.68 ₽56.7

$0.86 ¥5.75

-20.93%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.37 ₽115

$0.65 ¥4.36

110.77%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.82 ₽68.3

$0.59 ¥3.97

38.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.96 ₽247

$3.76 ¥25.14

-21.28%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.54 ₽713

$11.76 ¥78.6

-27.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.13 ₽94.6

$0.91 ¥6.11

24.18%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.08 ₽174

$1.62 ¥10.86

28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.55 ₽46.26

$0.31 ¥2.10

77.42%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 ₽3,393

$22.75 ¥152

78.68%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.37 ₽197

$1.52 ¥10.17

55.92%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.47 ₽38.98

$0.37 ¥2.50

27.03%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.61 ₽551

$7.28 ¥48.66

-9.20%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.88 ₽73.5

$1.25 ¥8.38

-29.60%

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

$52.4K ₽4.4M

$19.4K ¥129.7K

169.94%

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

$39.3K ₽3.3M

$17.1K ¥114.4K

129.91%

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

$142 ₽11.9K

$55.5 ¥371

156.06%

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

$7.19 ₽600

$8.29 ¥55.4

-13.27%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$9.03 ₽754

$10.97 ¥73.3

-17.68%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$38.29 ₽3,195

$40.38 ¥270

-5.18%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$32.29 ₽2,695

$14.76 ¥98.7

118.77%

Cinema Ticket

$7.12 ₽594

$6.76 ¥45.18

5.33%

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

$485 ₽40.4K

$465 ¥3,108

4.23%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$16.6K ₽1.4M

$19.6K ¥131.2K

-15.32%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$89.1 ₽7,433

$46.32 ¥310

92.27%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$53.1 ₽4,432

$36.30 ¥243

46.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$129 ₽10.8K

$76.3 ¥510

69.50%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$128 ₽10.7K

$78.8 ¥527

62.27%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$615 ₽51.3K

$396 ¥2,646

55.42%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$409 ₽34.2K

$240 ¥1,604

70.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,124 ₽93.8K

$822 ¥5,499

36.63%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$763 ₽63.7K

$466 ¥3,116

63.70%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,103 ₽259.0K

$4,544 ¥30.4K

-31.71%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,101 ₽175.3K

$2,282 ¥15.3K

-7.93%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$933 ₽77.9K

$1,075 ¥7,188

-13.23%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

21.27

3.46

514.74%

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

Last update for Russia: October 18, 2026

Last update for China: October 19, 2026

Monthly budget structure

Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.

Accommodation & Living

Russia

$409 32.9%

China

$240 30% 41.4% $169

Groceries & Markets

Russia

$222 17.8%

China

$209 26.1% 6% $13

Clothing & Footwear

Russia

$180 14.4%

China

$107 13.4% 40.5% $73

Eating Out

Russia

$176 14.1%

China

$89 11.1% 49.4% $87

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Russia

$158 12.7%

China

$75 9.3% 52.8% $84

Sport & Entertainment

Russia

$53 4.2%

China

$54 6.7% 2.6% $1.4

Getting Around

Russia

$48 3.8%

China

$27 3.4% 42.4% $20

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $441 in Russia, $299 in China. Capital cities: $1,480 in Moscow vs $945 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $799 in Russia, $870 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 47% higher in Russia.

Dining out costs 86% more in Russia.

Public transport is 113% more expensive in China.

Good to know

🇷🇺 Russia

🇨🇳 China

🕒 Local time

13:49 1:49 PM

18:49 6:49 PM

5 h ahead of Russia

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

145,975,300

1,442,965,000

💱 Currency

Russian Ruble RUB ₽

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

100 RUB = 1.2 USD

100 RUB = 1.07 EUR

1 CNY = 0.15 USD

1 CNY = 0.133 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to RUB – Russian Ruble Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇷🇺 Russian Ruble (₽)

Russian Ruble exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 83.46 RUB (100 RUB = 1.2 USD). 1 EUR = 93.83 RUB (100 RUB = 1.07 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of October 20, 2026: 1 USD = 6.69 CNY (1 CNY = 0.15 USD). 1 EUR = 7.52 CNY (1 CNY = 0.133 EUR).

USD to RUB in detail →

On the map

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Highest

Between locations

Russia China 5,790 km ≈ 8 h nonstop flight

From you

Russia
China

Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.

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

Russia vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $800 per month in China and $1,245 in Russia, there's a 56% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $441 in Russia and $299 in China. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Russia it stretches only to regional areas and falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.

It depends on what you're after: China wins on affordability; Russia may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.