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: $877 in Saint Helena versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,429 in Saint Helena versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,981 in Saint Helena versus $1,549 in China.

Living in Saint Helena is roughly 23% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Saint Helena 34% lower, China 47% lower.

Saint Helena ($514–$1,240) and China ($533–$1,212) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$16.47 SHP 12.20

$2.77 ¥18.71

494.58%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$53.8 SHP 39.85

$24.05 ¥162

123.70%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$12.10 SHP 8.96

$4.73 ¥31.91

155.81%

Cappuccino

$3.12 SHP 2.31

$3.08 ¥20.77

1.30%

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

$1.22 SHP 0.90

$0.44 ¥2.99

177.27%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.12 SHP 0.83

$0.29 ¥1.98

286.21%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.68 SHP 3.47

$1.01 ¥6.80

363.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.59 SHP 1.92

$2.08 ¥14.02

24.52%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.92 SHP 1.42

$1.83 ¥12.38

4.92%

White Bread (500g)

$1.83 SHP 1.36

$1.62 ¥10.94

12.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.38 SHP 1.02

$0.97 ¥6.58

42.27%

Eggs

$4.33 SHP 3.21

$1.61 ¥10.90

168.94%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.03 SHP 5.95

$13.34 ¥90.1

-39.81%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.73 SHP 7.95

$3.37 ¥22.74

218.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$11.09 SHP 8.22

$10.68 ¥72.1

3.84%

Apples (1kg)

$1.81 ¥12.25

Banana (1kg)

$1.25 ¥8.43

Oranges (1kg)

$1.46 ¥9.88

Tomato (1kg)

$1.15 ¥7.73

Potato (1kg)

$0.73 ¥4.91

Onion (1kg)

$0.89 ¥5.99

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.75 SHP 2.04

$0.60 ¥4.05

358.33%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$2.30 SHP 1.71

$0.53 ¥3.58

333.96%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$11.42 SHP 8.46

$3.39 ¥22.91

236.87%

Wine (Bottle)

$15.70 SHP 11.63

$11.73 ¥79.2

33.84%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.77 ¥5.22

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.63 ¥10.97

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.41 ¥2.77

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$40.65 SHP 30.11

$21.24 ¥143

91.38%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$2.67 SHP 1.98

$1.35 ¥9.12

97.78%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.36 ¥2.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.70 ¥45.23

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.57 SHP 1.91

$1.18 ¥7.98

117.80%

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

$19.8K ¥133.4K

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

$16.5K ¥111.6K

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

$51.7 ¥349

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

$10.09 ¥68.1

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$164 SHP 122

$11.38 ¥76.8

1342.44%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$13.65 SHP 10.11

$39.24 ¥265

-65.21%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.84 ¥100

Cinema Ticket

$6.30 ¥42.53

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

$414 ¥2,793

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.4K ¥117.5K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$41.16 SHP 30.49

$46.77 ¥316

-11.99%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$20.65 SHP 15.30

$33.08 ¥223

-37.58%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$48.39 SHP 35.85

$70.9 ¥479

-31.79%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$74.5 ¥503

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$713 SHP 528

$440 ¥2,971

61.95%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$623 SHP 462

$253 ¥1,706

146.69%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 SHP 524

$911 ¥6,150

-22.36%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$659 SHP 488

$531 ¥3,582

24.12%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,778 ¥32.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,403 ¥16.2K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$784 SHP 581

$1,058 ¥7,140

-25.89%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

6.2

4.06

52.71%

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

Last update for Saint Helena: July 25, 2026

Last update for China: July 28, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $715 in Saint Helena, $287 in China. Capital cities: $673 in Jamestown vs $909 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $764 in Saint Helena, $857 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 149% higher in Saint Helena.

Dining out costs 176% more in Saint Helena.

Public transport is 128% more expensive in Saint Helena.

Salaries are 12% higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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 $873 per month in China and $877 in Saint Helena, there's a 1% 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 China: 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 Saint Helena is consistently higher than in China across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Saint Helena 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; Saint Helena may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.