Last update: Oct 2026

Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helena and China

Name: China
Address: CN

For one person, living is cheaper in Saint Helena: $574 a month against $791 in China, rent and utilities included – about $2,600 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in China outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.

38

Cost of Living Index in China
Learn more

China Living Index

Jump to prices

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

$574

/mo nomad

🇨🇳 China

$791

/mo nomad

Monthly Cost of Living

How much you'll spend in Saint Helena 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 Saint Helena and in China actually costs, broken down by who's living it.

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $574 in Saint Helena versus $791 in China.

Saint Helena $574
China $791

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,194 in Saint Helena versus $1,251 in China.

Saint Helena $1,194
China $1,251

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,814 in Saint Helena versus $1,711 in China.

Saint Helena $1,814
China $1,711

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $465 to $1,222, compared to $90–$500 in Saint Helena. City choice carries more weight in China.

Living in Saint Helena costs about 28% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Saint Helena 58% lower, China 42% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.85 SHP 11.82

$2.98 ¥19.76

431.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$65.5 SHP 48.83

$22.09 ¥147

196.33%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.08 SHP 9.76

$5.20 ¥34.51

151.54%

Cappuccino

$2.97 ¥19.68

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

$1.21 SHP 0.90

$0.48 ¥3.18

152.08%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.02 SHP 0.76

$0.30 ¥2.00

240.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.08 ¥7.16

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.28 ¥15.11

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 ¥11.93

White Bread (500g)

$2.00 SHP 1.49

$1.68 ¥11.12

19.05%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.92 ¥6.12

Eggs

$5.39 SHP 4.02

$1.61 ¥10.70

234.78%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.38 ¥88.8

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.35 ¥22.22

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.83 SHP 8.08

$11.35 ¥75.3

-4.58%

Apples (1kg)

$1.82 ¥12.09

Banana (1kg)

$1.31 ¥8.67

Oranges (1kg)

$1.49 ¥9.86

Tomato (1kg)

$1.27 ¥8.45

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.72

Onion (1kg)

$0.93 ¥6.20

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.11

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.30 SHP 0.97

$0.56 ¥3.73

132.14%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.73 SHP 8.75

$3.78 ¥25.08

210.32%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.67 SHP 11.69

$12.13 ¥80.5

29.18%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.83 ¥5.52

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.18

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.91

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$39.60 SHP 29.54

$17.83 ¥118

122.10%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.49 ¥9.87

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.37 ¥2.49

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.10 ¥47.11

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.49 SHP 1.86

$1.26 ¥8.35

97.62%

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

$19.4K ¥129.1K

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

$17.5K ¥116.4K

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

$54.6 ¥362

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

$8.73 ¥58.0

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$218 SHP 163

$11.07 ¥73.5

1873.26%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$19.68 SHP 14.68

$40.77 ¥271

-51.73%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.48 ¥96.1

Cinema Ticket

$6.78 ¥45.00

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

$517 ¥3,429

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.8K ¥131.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$46.53 ¥309

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.66 ¥237

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$77.0 ¥511

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.3 ¥533

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$723 SHP 539

$386 ¥2,560

87.33%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$235 ¥1,557

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$822 ¥5,454

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$515 SHP 384

$453 ¥3,007

13.65%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,697 ¥31.2K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,372 ¥15.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$765 SHP 571

$1,093 ¥7,255

-30.01%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.46

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

Last update for Saint Helena: October 27, 2026

Last update for China: October 24, 2026

Monthly budget structure

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

Accommodation & Living

Saint Helena

–

China

$235 29.6%

Groceries & Markets

Saint Helena

–

China

$210 26.5%

Clothing & Footwear

Saint Helena

–

China

$108 13.6%

Eating Out

Saint Helena

–

China

$88 11.1%

Monthly Utilities & Internet

Saint Helena

–

China

$74 9.4%

Sport & Entertainment

Saint Helena

–

China

$54 6.9%

Getting Around

Saint Helena

–

China

$22 2.8%

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $791 in Saint Helena, $873 in China. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 143% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 200% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 122% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 10% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Saint Helena.

Good to know

🇸🇭 Saint Helena

🇨🇳 China

🕒 Local time

05:27 5:27 AM

13:27 1:27 PM

8 h ahead of Saint Helena

🌤 Weather

👥 Population

5,633

1,442,965,000

💱 Currency

Saint Helena Pound SHP £

Chinese Yuan CNY ¥

📈 Exchange rate

1 SHP = 1.34 USD

1 SHP = 1.2 EUR

1 CNY = 0.151 USD

1 CNY = 0.134 EUR

Exchange rates and currency converter

CNY, USD, EUR to SHP – Saint Helena Pound Converter

🇺🇸 United States Dollar ($)

🇸🇭 Saint Helena Pound (£)

Saint Helena Pound exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 0.746 SHP (1 SHP = 1.34 USD). 1 EUR = 0.836 SHP (1 SHP = 1.2 EUR).

Chinese Yuan exchange rates as of November 3, 2026: 1 USD = 6.64 CNY (1 CNY = 0.151 USD). 1 EUR = 7.44 CNY (1 CNY = 0.134 EUR).

USD to SHP in detail →

On the map

Lowest

Highest

Between locations

Saint Helena China 13,860 km ≈ 18 h nonstop flight

From you

Saint Helena
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

Saint Helena vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $791 per month in China and $574 in Saint Helena, Saint Helena comes out about 28% cheaper. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Overall, Saint Helena is the cheaper option, but not in every category: rent, groceries, transport, and eating out each follow their own pattern. Check the categories you spend the most on before deciding.

In Saint Helena, $1,000 covers most cities easily; in China 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: Saint Helena wins on affordability, while salaries, visas, language, and lifestyle can tip the balance either way.