Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marino and China Cost of Living Comparison Between San Marino and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $790 in San Marino versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,209 in San Marino versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,627 in San Marino versus $1,550 in China.

Living in San Marino is roughly 11% more expensive than China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: San Marino 41% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in San Marino: monthly costs span $356 to $1,224, compared to $532–$1,187 in China. City choice carries more weight in San Marino.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$17.50 €14.93

$2.75 ¥18.80

536.36%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$66.7 €56.9

$24.07 ¥165

176.98%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$11.42 €9.74

$4.84 ¥33.11

135.95%

Cappuccino

$1.88 €1.61

$2.97 ¥20.29

-36.70%

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

$3.07 €2.62

$0.45 ¥3.05

582.22%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.58 €1.35

$0.29 ¥2.00

444.83%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.54 €3.87

$1.00 ¥6.85

354.00%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$6.79 €5.79

$2.06 ¥14.11

229.61%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.15 €0.98

$1.82 ¥12.46

-36.81%

White Bread (500g)

$1.62 ¥11.07

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.20

Eggs

$1.54 ¥10.55

Local Cheese (1kg)

$13.32 ¥91.1

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.27 ¥22.38

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.56 ¥72.2

Apples (1kg)

$2.34 €1.99

$1.76 ¥12.01

32.95%

Banana (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.91

Oranges (1kg)

$1.45 ¥9.93

Tomato (1kg)

$1.19 ¥8.16

Potato (1kg)

$1.15 €0.98

$0.71 ¥4.83

61.97%

Onion (1kg)

$0.91 ¥6.23

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.57 ¥3.89

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.61 €0.52

$0.53 ¥3.65

15.09%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.36 €3.72

$3.50 ¥23.97

24.57%

Wine (Bottle)

$4.56 €3.89

$11.85 ¥81.1

-61.52%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.93 €1.64

$0.84 ¥5.72

129.76%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.68 ¥11.49

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.78 €1.52

$0.44 ¥3.00

304.55%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$28.85 €24.61

$20.76 ¥142

38.97%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$5.62 €4.79

$1.36 ¥9.28

313.24%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.73 €1.47

$0.35 ¥2.43

394.29%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.43 €21.69

$6.65 ¥45.47

282.41%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$2.08 €1.78

$1.17 ¥7.99

77.78%

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)

$117 €99.7

$52.0 ¥355

124.96%

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

$23.19 €19.78

$9.65 ¥66.0

140.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$35.22 €30.04

$11.16 ¥76.3

215.59%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$76.5 €65.3

$40.48 ¥277

89.08%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.42 €22.54

$14.75 ¥101

79.12%

Cinema Ticket

$8.03 €6.85

$6.35 ¥43.45

26.46%

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)

$79.6 €67.9

$46.08 ¥315

72.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.23 €30.05

$32.86 ¥225

7.21%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$71.2 ¥487

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$57.0 €48.62

$75.3 ¥515

-24.31%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$645 €550

$430 ¥2,942

49.86%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$568 €485

$261 ¥1,784

117.89%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$845 €721

$914 ¥6,254

-7.59%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$791 €674

$542 ¥3,711

45.73%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,892 €2,467

$5,177 ¥35.4K

-44.14%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,929 €2,498

$2,630 ¥18.0K

11.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,770 €3,215

$1,060 ¥7,250

255.65%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.55

4.06

-12.56%

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

Last update for San Marino: April 21, 2026

Last update for China: April 21, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $316 in San Marino, $287 in China. Capital cities: $632 in San Marino vs $891 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $3,796 in San Marino, $833 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 10% higher in San Marino.

Dining out costs 133% more in San Marino.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 356% higher in San Marino, giving San Marino stronger purchasing power.

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

San Marino vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $860 per month in China and $790 in San Marino, there's a 9% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

San Marino 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 China beats San Marino across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In San Marino, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In China, 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. San Marino wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.