Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helena and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Saint Helena and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $299 in Saint Helena versus $719 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $623 in Saint Helena versus $1,147 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $947 in Saint Helena versus $1,574 in China.

Living in Saint Helena costs about 58% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Saint Helena 78% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in China: monthly costs span $455 to $1,219, compared to $90.0–$508 in Saint Helena. City choice carries more weight in China.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$15.89 SHP 11.86

$2.92 ¥19.58

444.18%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$68.6 SHP 51.2

$22.23 ¥149

208.73%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.67 SHP 10.20

$5.13 ¥34.34

166.47%

Cappuccino

$2.99 ¥20.03

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

$1.25 SHP 0.93

$0.52 ¥3.50

140.38%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.03 SHP 0.77

$0.28 ¥1.87

267.86%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.05 ¥7.04

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.26 ¥15.17

Milk (1 liter)

$1.81 ¥12.11

White Bread (500g)

$1.95 SHP 1.45

$1.68 ¥11.23

16.07%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.05

Eggs

$5.29 SHP 3.95

$1.56 ¥10.43

239.10%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.24 ¥88.7

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.49 ¥23.39

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.00 SHP 8.21

$11.23 ¥75.2

-2.05%

Apples (1kg)

$1.86 ¥12.43

Banana (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.47

Oranges (1kg)

$1.53 ¥10.22

Tomato (1kg)

$1.26 ¥8.45

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.91

Onion (1kg)

$0.88 ¥5.89

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.65 ¥4.33

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.36 SHP 1.02

$0.58 ¥3.88

134.48%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.77 SHP 8.78

$3.71 ¥24.84

217.25%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.83 SHP 11.81

$11.80 ¥79.0

34.15%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.85 ¥5.69

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 ¥11.19

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.29 ¥1.92

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.08 SHP 29.91

$22.67 ¥152

76.80%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 ¥10.07

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.32

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$7.29 ¥48.83

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.59 SHP 1.94

$1.22 ¥8.18

112.30%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

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

$17.4K ¥116.2K

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

$54.0 ¥362

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

$8.41 ¥56.3

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$219 SHP 163

$10.82 ¥72.4

1921.63%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$20.18 SHP 15.06

$40.41 ¥271

-50.06%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.63 ¥98.0

Cinema Ticket

$6.60 ¥44.18

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

$452 ¥3,024

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.2K ¥128.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.23 ¥296

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.46 ¥238

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$74.7 ¥500

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$78.6 ¥527

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$741 SHP 553

$394 ¥2,641

87.81%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$243 ¥1,630

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 ¥5,660

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$520 SHP 388

$481 ¥3,221

8.11%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,609 ¥30.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,327 ¥15.6K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$777 SHP 580

$1,060 ¥7,099

-26.73%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.47

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

Last update for Saint Helena: September 15, 2026

Last update for China: September 14, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National salary averages: $781 in Saint Helena, $867 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 27% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 67% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 18% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 11% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in Saint Helena.

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 $837 per month in China and $299 in Saint Helena, there's a 180% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Saint Helena: lower food prices, cheaper commutes, smaller household bills. Over time, those daily savings make a real difference to your monthly budget and ability to put money away.

Rent in China is consistently higher than in Saint Helena across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

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; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.