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: $1,002 in Samoa versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,533 in Samoa versus $1,134 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,063 in Samoa versus $1,555 in China.

Living in Samoa is roughly 41% more expensive than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Samoa 25% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Samoa: monthly costs span $1,002 to $1,002, compared to $518–$1,224 in China. City choice carries more weight in Samoa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.0 WST 145

$2.82 ¥19.11

1779.43%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.49 WST 97.3

$23.43 ¥159

51.47%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.82 WST 37.92

$4.82 ¥32.65

186.72%

Cappuccino

$2.54 WST 6.97

$2.98 ¥20.17

-14.77%

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

$1.99 WST 5.46

$0.48 ¥3.22

314.58%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.26 WST 3.46

$0.27 ¥1.81

366.67%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.42 WST 12.12

$1.01 ¥6.85

337.62%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.45 WST 9.47

$2.06 ¥13.97

67.48%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.80 WST 4.95

$1.82 ¥12.31

-1.10%

White Bread (500g)

$0.76 WST 2.10

$1.63 ¥11.04

-53.37%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.84 WST 5.05

$0.96 ¥6.48

91.67%

Eggs

$4.22 WST 11.58

$1.55 ¥10.47

172.26%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.85 WST 2.33

$13.05 ¥88.3

-93.49%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.64 WST 9.98

$3.24 ¥21.93

12.35%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.39 WST 23.02

$10.83 ¥73.3

-22.53%

Apples (1kg)

$5.15 WST 14.12

$1.75 ¥11.83

194.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 WST 5.01

$1.28 ¥8.66

42.97%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.83 WST 5.01

$1.44 ¥9.76

27.08%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.39 WST 12.04

$1.18 ¥8.02

272.03%

Potato (1kg)

$3.61 WST 9.90

$0.70 ¥4.77

415.71%

Onion (1kg)

$1.05 WST 2.87

$0.88 ¥5.95

19.32%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.58 ¥3.91

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.20 WST 3.29

$0.53 ¥3.61

126.42%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.15 WST 16.86

$3.46 ¥23.44

77.75%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.25 WST 44.57

$11.91 ¥80.6

36.44%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.84 WST 5.04

$0.78 ¥5.26

135.90%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 WST 9.92

$1.62 ¥10.94

122.84%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.63 WST 9.97

$0.44 ¥2.96

725.00%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.65 ¥140

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.30 WST 14.54

$1.35 ¥9.16

292.59%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.33 ¥2.20

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.05 WST 57.8

$6.49 ¥43.92

224.35%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 WST 2.87

$1.13 ¥7.63

-7.08%

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

$19.4K ¥131.6K

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

$16.5K ¥112.0K

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

$18.13 WST 49.73

$51.3 ¥347

-64.68%

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

$17.80 WST 48.83

$10.19 ¥68.9

74.68%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$36.42 WST 99.9

$11.11 ¥75.2

227.81%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$39.99 ¥271

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.55 ¥98.4

Cinema Ticket

$6.18 ¥41.85

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

$416 ¥2,816

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.2K ¥116.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.65 WST 136

$45.94 ¥311

8.08%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.72 WST 112

$32.70 ¥221

24.53%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$75.2 WST 206

$72.2 ¥489

4.03%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 WST 273

$74.8 ¥506

32.77%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$348 WST 954

$444 ¥3,004

-21.64%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 WST 412

$253 ¥1,714

-40.78%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$710 WST 1,948

$931 ¥6,299

-23.72%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,177 WST 3,229

$546 ¥3,694

115.63%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$4,778 ¥32.3K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,418 ¥16.4K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,069 ¥7,233

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

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

Last update for Samoa: July 20, 2026

Last update for China: July 21, 2026

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 71% 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

At $871 per month in China and $1,002 in Samoa, there's a 15% 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 Samoa 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 Samoa 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; Samoa may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.