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: $1,710 in Seychelles versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,571 in Seychelles versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,431 in Seychelles versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Seychelles is roughly 140% more expensive than in China on average.

Seychelles (28% above) and China (47% below) straddle the global median.

Seychelles ($1,315$1,984) and China ($532$1,192) 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
$17.59 SCR 252
$2.86 ¥19.32
515.03%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$68.8 SCR 985
$23.44 ¥158
193.34%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$7.03 SCR 101
$4.84 ¥32.70
45.25%
Cappuccino
$4.81 SCR 68.9
$3.11 ¥21.03
54.66%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.24 SCR 32.05
$0.44 ¥2.99
409.09%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.14 SCR 30.62
$0.29 ¥1.99
637.93%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$8.16 SCR 117
$0.98 ¥6.63
732.65%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 SCR 53.6
$2.05 ¥13.86
82.44%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Seychelles
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$1.80 SCR 25.75
$1.84 ¥12.45
-2.17%
White Bread (500g)
$1.55 SCR 22.27
$1.62 ¥10.92
-4.32%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$1.86 SCR 26.72
$0.93 ¥6.27
100.00%
Eggs
$3.49 SCR 50.0
$1.63 ¥11.01
114.11%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$20.66 SCR 296
$13.15 ¥88.8
57.11%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$6.28 SCR 90.0
$3.26 ¥22.06
92.64%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$9.72 SCR 139
$10.62 ¥71.8
-8.47%
Apples (1kg)
$2.13 SCR 30.47
$1.80 ¥12.17
18.33%
Banana (1kg)
$2.49 SCR 35.71
$1.30 ¥8.76
91.54%
Oranges (1kg)
$2.41 SCR 34.59
$1.46 ¥9.88
65.07%
Tomato (1kg)
$5.96 SCR 85.5
$1.20 ¥8.13
396.67%
Potato (1kg)
$1.42 SCR 20.36
$0.76 ¥5.13
86.84%
Onion (1kg)
$1.35 SCR 19.40
$0.88 ¥5.93
53.41%
Lettuce (1 head)
$1.35 SCR 19.29
$0.57 ¥3.86
136.84%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.44 SCR 20.63
$0.54 ¥3.62
166.67%
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$22.14 SCR 317
$3.42 ¥23.14
547.37%
Wine (Bottle)
$11.25 SCR 161
$11.75 ¥79.4
-4.26%
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$3.23 SCR 46.21
$0.80 ¥5.39
303.75%
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$5.93 SCR 84.9
$1.62 ¥10.94
266.05%
🚌 Getting Around
Seychelles
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.85 SCR 12.24
$0.43 ¥2.93
97.67%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$30.22 SCR 433
$20.47 ¥138
47.63%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$8.42 SCR 121
$1.36 ¥9.22
519.12%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$2.64 SCR 37.83
$0.35 ¥2.39
654.29%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$13.79 SCR 198
$6.50 ¥43.90
112.15%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$1.45 SCR 20.79
$1.12 ¥7.58
29.46%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$26.7K SCR 382.2K
$19.5K ¥131.6K
36.99%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$34.1K SCR 488.9K
$16.9K ¥113.9K
102.36%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Seychelles
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$115 SCR 1,649
$51.7 ¥349
122.63%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$41.28 SCR 591
$10.17 ¥68.7
305.90%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$142 SCR 2,037
$11.16 ¥75.4
1174.01%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Seychelles
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$67.9 SCR 973
$39.62 ¥268
71.45%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$15.36 SCR 220
$14.53 ¥98.2
5.71%
Cinema Ticket
$5.62 SCR 80.6
$6.38 ¥43.12
-11.91%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Seychelles
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$158 SCR 2,264
$407 ¥2,752
-61.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$8,468 SCR 121.3K
$17.8K ¥120.5K
-52.53%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Seychelles
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$56.4 SCR 809
$45.53 ¥308
23.96%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$25.51 SCR 365
$32.31 ¥218
-21.05%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$68.8 SCR 986
$72.6 ¥490
-5.21%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$67.1 SCR 962
$74.4 ¥503
-9.81%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Seychelles
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$947 SCR 13.6K
$443 ¥2,992
113.92%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$802 SCR 11.5K
$258 ¥1,745
210.73%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$1,942 SCR 27.8K
$910 ¥6,152
113.33%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$1,620 SCR 23.2K
$543 ¥3,672
198.13%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$706 SCR 10.1K
$4,934 ¥33.3K
-85.70%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$861 SCR 12.3K
$2,398 ¥16.2K
-64.11%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Seychelles
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$867 SCR 12.4K
$1,065 ¥7,194
-18.54%
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: July 13, 2026

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $1,008 in Seychelles, $287 in China. Capital cities: $954 in Victoria vs $894 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $937 in Seychelles, $855 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 251% higher in Seychelles.

Dining out costs 195% more in Seychelles.

Salaries are 10% higher in Seychelles, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.

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 $862 per month in China and $1,650 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?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in China: 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 is consistently higher than in 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 compared to Seychelles?
In China, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in Seychelles it stretches only to regional areas and 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 in 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.

Seychelles vs other spots: cost of living compared

Similar countries