Cost of Living Comparison Between Samoa and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Samoa and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $850 in Samoa versus $720 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,339 in Samoa versus $1,148 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,828 in Samoa versus $1,576 in China.

Living in Samoa is roughly 18% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Samoa 38% lower, China 48% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Samoa: monthly costs span $850 to $850, compared to $468–$1,236 in China. City choice carries more weight in Samoa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$48.41 WST 131

$2.93 ¥19.61

1552.22%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$37.11 WST 101

$22.72 ¥152

63.34%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.49 WST 39.35

$5.07 ¥33.96

185.80%

Cappuccino

$2.86 WST 7.77

$2.94 ¥19.71

-2.72%

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

$1.85 WST 5.03

$0.48 ¥3.21

285.42%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.35 WST 3.67

$0.30 ¥2.02

350.00%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.38 WST 9.17

$1.06 ¥7.10

218.87%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.74 WST 10.16

$2.25 ¥15.08

66.22%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.88 WST 5.09

$1.79 ¥12.00

5.03%

White Bread (500g)

$0.86 WST 2.34

$1.70 ¥11.36

-49.41%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.80 WST 4.89

$0.96 ¥6.45

87.50%

Eggs

$4.38 WST 11.89

$1.61 ¥10.80

172.05%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.91 WST 2.46

$13.60 ¥91.1

-93.31%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.61 WST 9.81

$3.41 ¥22.84

5.87%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.29 WST 22.51

$11.07 ¥74.2

-25.11%

Apples (1kg)

$5.07 WST 13.75

$1.81 ¥12.10

180.11%

Banana (1kg)

$1.87 WST 5.07

$1.30 ¥8.74

43.85%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.81 WST 4.92

$1.48 ¥9.91

22.30%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.53 WST 12.30

$1.30 ¥8.73

248.46%

Potato (1kg)

$3.57 WST 9.68

$0.72 ¥4.82

395.83%

Onion (1kg)

$1.12 WST 3.05

$0.94 ¥6.31

19.15%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.61 ¥4.09

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 WST 3.22

$0.56 ¥3.74

112.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.29 WST 17.07

$3.67 ¥24.58

71.39%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.43 WST 44.61

$11.90 ¥79.7

38.07%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 WST 5.00

$0.83 ¥5.56

121.69%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.63 WST 9.84

$1.65 ¥11.08

120.00%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.56 WST 9.66

$0.29 ¥1.92

1127.59%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$22.61 ¥151

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.61 WST 15.22

$1.45 ¥9.72

286.90%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$5.35 WST 14.51

$0.34 ¥2.31

1473.53%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.93 WST 59.6

$7.27 ¥48.73

201.65%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.11 WST 3.02

$1.23 ¥8.27

-9.76%

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

$19.5K ¥130.9K

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

$17.2K ¥115.5K

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

$18.56 WST 50.4

$55.5 ¥372

-66.53%

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

$18.19 WST 49.38

$8.51 ¥57.0

113.75%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$37.36 WST 101

$10.81 ¥72.4

245.61%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.02 ¥268

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.80 ¥99.2

Cinema Ticket

$6.73 ¥45.11

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

$454 ¥3,043

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$19.5K ¥130.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$44.95 ¥301

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.81 ¥240

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.8 ¥514

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$77.3 ¥518

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$385 ¥2,582

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$242 ¥1,623

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$837 ¥5,605

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,815 WST 4,928

$474 ¥3,178

282.61%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,619 ¥30.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,316 ¥15.5K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,062 ¥7,112

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 Samoa: September 5, 2026

Last update for China: September 5, 2026

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 76% more in Samoa.

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

Samoa vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

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

In Samoa, $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: Samoa wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.