Cost of Living Comparison Between Seychelles and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Seychelles and China

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,696 in Seychelles versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,569 in Seychelles versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,441 in Seychelles versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Seychelles is roughly 138% more expensive than China on average.

Seychelles (27% above) and China (47% below) straddle the global median.

Seychelles ($1,329$1,979) and China ($520$1,209) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Seychelles
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$16.98 SCR 246
$2.81 ¥19.00
504.27%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.0 SCR 985
$23.30 ¥158
192.02%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$6.80 SCR 98.5
$5.01 ¥33.91
35.73%
Cappuccino
$4.73 SCR 68.5
$3.01 ¥20.41
57.14%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.21 SCR 31.93
$0.45 ¥3.03
391.11%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.12 SCR 30.64
$0.29 ¥1.97
631.03%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.40 SCR 122
$0.95 ¥6.42
784.21%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.75 SCR 54.3
$2.05 ¥13.89
82.93%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seychelles
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.81 SCR 26.14
$1.76 ¥11.89
2.84%
White Bread (500g)
$1.61 SCR 23.37
$1.62 ¥10.99
-0.62%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.93 SCR 27.98
$0.95 ¥6.46
103.16%
Eggs
$3.46 SCR 50.1
$1.56 ¥10.56
121.79%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.21 SCR 292
$13.06 ¥88.4
54.75%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.05 SCR 87.6
$3.28 ¥22.19
84.45%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.98 SCR 144
$10.65 ¥72.1
-6.29%
Apples (1kg)
$2.04 SCR 29.58
$1.78 ¥12.04
14.61%
Banana (1kg)
$2.50 SCR 36.19
$1.24 ¥8.43
101.61%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.34 SCR 33.85
$1.50 ¥10.13
56.00%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.96 SCR 86.2
$1.15 ¥7.80
418.26%
Potato (1kg)
$1.35 SCR 19.52
$0.75 ¥5.08
80.00%
Onion (1kg)
$1.31 SCR 18.92
$0.86 ¥5.82
52.33%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.38 SCR 19.96
$0.62 ¥4.17
122.58%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.51 SCR 21.90
$0.56 ¥3.81
169.64%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$21.56 SCR 312
$3.51 ¥23.79
514.25%
Wine (Bottle)
$12.05 SCR 174
$11.66 ¥78.9
3.34%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.27 SCR 47.35
$0.80 ¥5.40
308.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.74 SCR 83.1
$1.66 ¥11.26
245.78%
🚌 Getting Around
Seychelles
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.80 SCR 11.59
$0.43 ¥2.93
86.05%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$29.18 SCR 422
$20.86 ¥141
39.88%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.45 SCR 122
$1.37 ¥9.27
516.79%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.66 SCR 38.53
$0.35 ¥2.39
660.00%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.97 SCR 202
$6.63 ¥44.87
110.71%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.48 SCR 21.44
$1.14 ¥7.70
29.82%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.8K SCR 387.7K
$19.2K ¥129.8K
39.64%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.3K SCR 495.8K
$16.8K ¥113.5K
104.30%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seychelles
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$117 SCR 1,686
$51.2 ¥346
127.69%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$39.94 SCR 578
$10.16 ¥68.8
293.11%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$139 SCR 2,006
$11.51 ¥77.9
1103.82%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seychelles
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.0 SCR 969
$40.53 ¥274
65.24%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.52 SCR 225
$15.05 ¥102
3.12%
Cinema Ticket
$5.56 SCR 80.5
$6.10 ¥41.30
-8.85%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seychelles
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$158 SCR 2,289
$402 ¥2,722
-60.67%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,529 SCR 123.5K
$17.7K ¥119.6K
-51.74%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seychelles
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.6 SCR 820
$45.57 ¥308
24.29%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$24.89 SCR 360
$33.26 ¥225
-25.17%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.1 SCR 986
$72.6 ¥491
-6.16%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.3 SCR 974
$74.5 ¥504
-9.63%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seychelles
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$933 SCR 13.5K
$429 ¥2,906
117.23%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$789 SCR 11.4K
$257 ¥1,741
206.88%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,900 SCR 27.5K
$895 ¥6,061
112.21%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,614 SCR 23.4K
$541 ¥3,664
198.19%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$718 SCR 10.4K
$5,015 ¥33.9K
-85.68%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$907 SCR 13.1K
$2,469 ¥16.7K
-63.25%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seychelles
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$832 SCR 12.0K
$1,055 ¥7,139
-21.11%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
16.5
4.06
306.40%

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

Last update for Seychelles: May 30, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,000 in Seychelles, $286 in China. Capital cities: $952 in Victoria vs $916 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $944 in Seychelles, $861 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 250% higher in Seychelles.

Dining out costs 190% more in Seychelles.

Salaries are 10% higher in Seychelles, giving China 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
Seychelles vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Seychelles?
At $865 per month in China and $1,654 in Seychelles, there's a 91% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
Where are groceries and transport cheaper: China or Seychelles?
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.
How do rents compare between China and Seychelles?
Rent in Seychelles 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.
How far does $2,000 go in China vs Seychelles?
In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily. In Seychelles, it works in regional areas but falls short in the capital – you'll need to make trade-offs on housing or lifestyle.
How do I choose between living in China and Seychelles?
It depends on what you're after. China wins on affordability; Seychelles may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

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