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: $999 in Samoa versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,576 in Samoa versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,152 in Samoa versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Samoa is roughly 40% more expensive than 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 $999 to $999, compared to $520–$1,209 in China. City choice carries more weight in Samoa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.7 WST 146

$2.81 ¥18.99

1811.39%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$36.26 WST 98.8

$23.30 ¥158

55.62%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$14.08 WST 38.35

$5.01 ¥33.89

181.04%

Cappuccino

$2.51 WST 6.83

$3.01 ¥20.39

-16.61%

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

$2.10 WST 5.73

$0.45 ¥3.03

366.67%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.27 WST 3.47

$0.29 ¥1.97

337.93%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.25 WST 11.59

$0.95 ¥6.42

347.37%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.50 WST 9.54

$2.05 ¥13.88

70.73%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.84 WST 5.00

$1.76 ¥11.88

4.55%

White Bread (500g)

$0.77 WST 2.10

$1.62 ¥10.98

-52.47%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.76

$0.95 ¥6.45

84.21%

Eggs

$4.11 WST 11.20

$1.56 ¥10.56

163.46%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.92 WST 2.49

$13.06 ¥88.3

-92.96%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.60 WST 9.81

$3.28 ¥22.18

9.76%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$8.22 WST 22.41

$10.65 ¥72.0

-22.82%

Apples (1kg)

$4.94 WST 13.45

$1.78 ¥12.04

177.53%

Banana (1kg)

$1.83 WST 4.97

$1.24 ¥8.42

47.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.95

$1.50 ¥10.12

21.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.31 WST 11.74

$1.15 ¥7.79

274.78%

Potato (1kg)

$3.48 WST 9.49

$0.75 ¥5.07

364.00%

Onion (1kg)

$1.10 WST 2.99

$0.86 ¥5.81

27.91%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.62 ¥4.17

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.19 WST 3.25

$0.56 ¥3.81

112.50%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$6.04 WST 16.46

$3.51 ¥23.77

72.08%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.29 WST 44.39

$11.66 ¥78.9

39.71%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.80 WST 4.91

$0.80 ¥5.40

125.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.49 WST 9.51

$1.66 ¥11.25

110.24%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 WST 9.52

$0.43 ¥2.93

711.63%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.86 ¥141

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.47 WST 14.91

$1.37 ¥9.26

299.27%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.38

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.53 WST 58.7

$6.63 ¥44.85

224.74%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.04 WST 2.84

$1.14 ¥7.70

-8.77%

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

$19.2K ¥129.8K

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

$16.8K ¥113.4K

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

$17.93 WST 48.84

$51.2 ¥346

-64.96%

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

$17.66 WST 48.10

$10.16 ¥68.7

73.82%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.75 WST 97.4

$11.51 ¥77.9

210.60%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.53 ¥274

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$15.05 ¥102

Cinema Ticket

$6.10 ¥41.28

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

$402 ¥2,720

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.7K ¥119.6K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$50.9 WST 139

$45.57 ¥308

11.67%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$39.63 WST 108

$33.26 ¥225

19.15%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$76.0 WST 207

$72.6 ¥491

4.72%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$99.4 WST 271

$74.5 ¥504

33.55%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$352 WST 958

$429 ¥2,905

-18.07%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$150 WST 408

$257 ¥1,740

-41.80%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$707 WST 1,925

$895 ¥6,058

-21.08%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,134 WST 3,091

$541 ¥3,662

109.56%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 ¥33.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 ¥16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,055 ¥7,135

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: June 1, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Highlights

Dining out costs 67% 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 $865 per month in China and $999 in Samoa, there's a 16% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

China is simply cheaper day-to-day: 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 beats 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 works in regional areas but 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.