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: $1,000 in Samoa versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,533 in Samoa versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,066 in Samoa versus $1,550 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 $1,000 to $1,000, compared to $532–$1,187 in China. City choice carries more weight in Samoa.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$53.8 WST 145

$2.75 ¥18.80

1854.91%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$35.26 WST 95.2

$24.07 ¥165

46.49%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$13.62 WST 36.78

$4.84 ¥33.11

181.40%

Cappuccino

$2.43 WST 6.57

$2.97 ¥20.29

-18.18%

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

$2.07 WST 5.59

$0.45 ¥3.05

360.00%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.31 WST 3.54

$0.29 ¥2.00

351.72%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.18 WST 11.30

$1.00 ¥6.85

318.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.56 WST 9.62

$2.06 ¥14.11

72.82%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.76 WST 4.76

$1.82 ¥12.46

-3.30%

White Bread (500g)

$0.82 WST 2.20

$1.62 ¥11.07

-49.38%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.82 WST 4.92

$0.91 ¥6.20

100.00%

Eggs

$4.31 WST 11.64

$1.54 ¥10.55

179.87%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$0.86 WST 2.32

$13.32 ¥91.1

-93.54%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.53 WST 9.52

$3.27 ¥22.38

7.95%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$7.99 WST 21.58

$10.56 ¥72.2

-24.34%

Apples (1kg)

$4.87 WST 13.15

$1.76 ¥12.01

176.70%

Banana (1kg)

$1.77 WST 4.77

$1.30 ¥8.91

36.15%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.75 WST 4.74

$1.45 ¥9.93

20.69%

Tomato (1kg)

$4.24 WST 11.45

$1.19 ¥8.16

256.30%

Potato (1kg)

$3.50 WST 9.46

$0.71 ¥4.83

392.96%

Onion (1kg)

$1.04 WST 2.82

$0.91 ¥6.23

14.29%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.89

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.15 WST 3.10

$0.53 ¥3.65

116.98%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$5.98 WST 16.15

$3.50 ¥23.97

70.86%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.22 WST 43.78

$11.85 ¥81.1

36.88%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.82 WST 4.92

$0.84 ¥5.72

116.67%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 WST 9.54

$1.68 ¥11.49

110.12%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$3.49 WST 9.42

$0.44 ¥3.00

693.18%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$20.76 ¥142

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.24 WST 14.15

$1.36 ¥9.28

285.29%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.35 ¥2.43

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$21.25 WST 57.4

$6.65 ¥45.47

219.55%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.05 WST 2.83

$1.17 ¥7.99

-10.26%

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

$19.1K ¥130.8K

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

$17.1K ¥117.2K

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

$18.17 WST 49.07

$52.0 ¥355

-65.03%

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

$18.10 WST 48.87

$9.65 ¥66.0

87.56%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.32 WST 95.4

$11.16 ¥76.3

216.49%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$40.48 ¥277

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$14.75 ¥101

Cinema Ticket

$6.35 ¥43.45

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

$410 ¥2,803

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.8K ¥121.8K

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$49.88 WST 135

$46.08 ¥315

8.25%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$40.32 WST 109

$32.86 ¥225

22.70%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 WST 199

$71.2 ¥487

3.74%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$101 WST 273

$75.3 ¥515

34.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$345 WST 933

$430 ¥2,942

-19.69%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$147 WST 398

$261 ¥1,784

-43.47%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$706 WST 1,907

$914 ¥6,254

-22.75%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,155 WST 3,120

$542 ¥3,711

112.99%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,177 ¥35.4K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,630 ¥18.0K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,060 ¥7,250

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: April 20, 2026

Last update for China: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $0 in Samoa, $287 in China. Capital cities: $0 in Apia vs $891 in Beijing (Pekin).

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 $860 per month in China and $1,000 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.