Cost of Living Comparison Between Serra and Xi'an Cost of Living Comparison Between Serra and Xi'an

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $726 in Serra versus $698 in Xi'an.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,102 in Serra versus $1,110 in Xi'an.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,478 in Serra versus $1,523 in Xi'an.

Living in Serra is roughly 4% more expensive than Xi'an, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Serra 46% lower, Xi'an 48% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.45 R$22.29

$2.72 ¥18.39

63.60%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$20.97 R$105

$18.18 ¥123

15.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$6.46 R$32.30

$5.60 ¥37.90

15.36%

Cappuccino

$1.72 R$8.62

$3.50 ¥23.65

-50.86%

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

$0.71 R$3.55

$0.43 ¥2.90

65.12%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.53 R$2.64

$0.26 ¥1.74

103.85%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$0.82 R$4.11

$1.09 ¥7.35

-24.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.26 R$16.31

$1.70 ¥11.51

91.76%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.85 R$4.25

$1.57 ¥10.65

-45.86%

White Bread (500g)

$1.51 R$7.58

$1.57 ¥10.61

-3.82%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.01 R$5.06

$0.81 ¥5.51

24.69%

Eggs

$1.60 R$8.03

$1.62 ¥10.94

-1.23%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.53 R$37.71

$7.07 ¥47.78

6.51%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.77 R$18.86

$1.98 ¥13.41

90.40%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$6.31 R$31.57

$9.01 ¥60.9

-29.97%

Apples (1kg)

$2.13 R$10.64

$1.64 ¥11.09

29.88%

Banana (1kg)

$1.38 R$6.88

$1.13 ¥7.66

22.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.22 R$6.12

$1.29 ¥8.75

-5.43%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.43 R$7.15

$0.81 ¥5.50

76.54%

Potato (1kg)

$1.09 R$5.48

$0.71 ¥4.77

53.52%

Onion (1kg)

$1.20 R$6.02

$0.60 ¥4.06

100.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.63 R$3.13

$0.51 ¥3.45

23.53%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.53 R$2.64

$0.56 ¥3.81

-5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.19 R$10.97

$2.73 ¥18.47

-19.78%

Wine (Bottle)

$5.82 R$29.11

$7.58 ¥51.3

-23.22%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.94 R$4.70

$0.73 ¥4.95

28.77%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.21 R$6.07

$1.69 ¥11.45

-28.40%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.87 R$4.33

$0.47 ¥3.19

85.11%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$42.17 R$211

$33.76 ¥228

24.91%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.15 R$5.74

$1.40 ¥9.46

-17.86%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.91 R$4.57

$0.32 ¥2.17

184.38%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$3.73 R$18.64

$4.15 ¥28.05

-10.12%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$0.99 R$4.94

$1.15 ¥7.76

-13.91%

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

$21.5K R$107.4K

$20.8K ¥140.6K

3.23%

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

$30.3K R$151.6K

$16.3K ¥110.3K

85.76%

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

$105 R$523

$45.08 ¥305

132.03%

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

$11.48 R$57.4

$6.07 ¥41.02

89.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$17.50 R$87.6

$11.80 ¥79.8

48.31%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$35.78 R$179

$42.67 ¥289

-16.15%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$26.58 R$133

$16.77 ¥113

58.50%

Cinema Ticket

$4.47 R$22.37

$4.79 ¥32.41

-6.68%

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

$167 R$836

$339 ¥2,291

-50.68%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$6,380 R$31.9K

$18.0K ¥121.9K

-64.62%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$36.76 R$184

$54.9 ¥371

-33.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.0 R$270

$37.75 ¥255

43.02%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$80.7 R$404

$68.8 ¥465

17.32%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.6 R$353

$70.3 ¥475

0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$227 R$1,134

$251 ¥1,697

-9.70%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$134 R$672

$194 ¥1,315

-30.97%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$402 R$2,010

$496 ¥3,356

-19.06%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$196 R$980

$373 ¥2,520

-47.47%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$963 R$4,821

$2,392 ¥16.2K

-59.73%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$563 R$2,820

$1,620 ¥11.0K

-65.22%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$557 R$2,790

$1,058 ¥7,152

-47.30%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.38

4.32

140.28%

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

Last update for Serra: June 1, 2026

Last update for Xi'an: May 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $227 in Serra and $251 in Xi'an. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Xi'an pays 90% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $21.00 in Serra vs $18.00 in Xi'an for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $159 vs $158 per month, with Xi'an cheaper across the board.

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

Serra vs Xi'an: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Xi'an is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, Xi'an earns 90% less. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $227 in Serra versus $251 in Xi'an. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% higher in Serra. For households that cook at home regularly, that difference adds up over a month.

Dining out is cheaper in Xi'an – a meal for two runs $18.00 versus $21.00 in Serra. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

Either city works on $800 a month, though Xi'an gives you more room to save. At this income level, the choice is more about lifestyle than financial pressure.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Expats usually find Xi'an gentler on the wallet – expenses run 4% less than in Serra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.