For one person, living is cheaper in China: $791 a month against $843 in Tajikistan, rent and utilities included – about $620 less a year. Higher rent and utilities in Tajikistan outweigh lower spending on other living expenses.
Real prices from locals and on-the-ground checks – rent, groceries, transit and the daily extras. Here's what a month in Tajikistan and in China actually costs, broken down by who's living it.
Monthly costs for one person with rent: $843 in Tajikistan versus $791 in China.
Tajikistan $843
China $791
Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,296 in Tajikistan versus $1,251 in China.
Tajikistan $1,296
China $1,251
Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,749 in Tajikistan versus $1,711 in China.
Tajikistan $1,749
China $1,711
📏
Tajikistan ($106–$923) and China ($465–$1,222) have similar cost spreads. Where you settle within each country has roughly equal impact on the budget.
🌍
Living in Tajikistan is roughly 7% more expensive than in China on average.
📊
Both countries sit below the global median: Tajikistan 38% lower, China 42% lower.
Currency
No currencies found
🍽 Eating Out
Tajikistan
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$5.60TJS 51.6
$2.98¥19.84
87.92%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$16.19TJS 149
$22.09¥147
-26.71%
Fast Food Meal(McDonalds, etc)
$5.34TJS 49.28
$5.20¥34.66
2.69%
Cappuccino
$1.63TJS 15.06
$2.97¥19.77
-45.12%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.60TJS 5.54
$0.48¥3.19
25.00%
Water(0.33 liter bottle)
$0.41TJS 3.76
$0.30¥2.01
36.67%
Local Beer(0.5 liter draught)
$1.29TJS 11.88
$1.08¥7.19
19.44%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.99TJS 18.37
$2.28¥15.18
-12.72%
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Tajikistan
China
Difference
Milk(1 liter)
$1.06TJS 9.77
$1.80¥11.98
-41.11%
White Bread(500g)
$0.56TJS 5.13
$1.68¥11.17
-66.67%
Rice(white)(1kg)
$2.08TJS 19.20
$0.92¥6.14
126.09%
Eggs
$1.84TJS 17.01
$1.61¥10.75
14.29%
Local Cheese(1kg)
$11.86TJS 109
$13.38¥89.2
-11.36%
Chicken Fillets(1kg)
$4.00TJS 36.89
$3.35¥22.31
19.40%
Beef Round Steak(1kg)
$11.72TJS 108
$11.35¥75.7
3.26%
Apples(1kg)
$1.72TJS 15.86
$1.82¥12.14
-5.49%
Banana(1kg)
$2.73TJS 25.19
$1.31¥8.71
108.40%
Oranges(1kg)
$2.65TJS 24.42
$1.49¥9.91
77.85%
Tomato(1kg)
$0.88TJS 8.15
$1.27¥8.49
-30.71%
Potato(1kg)
$0.58TJS 5.34
$0.71¥4.74
-18.31%
Onion(1kg)
$0.39TJS 3.55
$0.93¥6.22
-58.06%
Lettuce(1 head)
$0.86TJS 7.96
$0.62¥4.12
38.71%
Water(1.5 liter bottle)
$0.63TJS 5.83
$0.56¥3.75
12.50%
Cigarettes 20 Pack(Marlboro, Camel)
$2.77TJS 25.51
$3.78¥25.19
-26.72%
Wine(Bottle)
$11.60TJS 107
$12.13¥80.9
-4.37%
Local Beer(0.5 liter bottle)
$1.32TJS 12.17
$0.83¥5.55
59.04%
Imported Beer(0.33 liter bottle)
$1.93TJS 17.80
$1.68¥11.23
14.88%
🚌 Getting Around
Tajikistan
China
Difference
One-way Ticket(Public Transport)
$0.28TJS 2.61
$0.29¥1.92
-3.45%
Public Transport Monthly Pass(Regular Price)
$15.95TJS 147
$17.83¥119
-10.54%
Taxi Start(Normal Tariff)
$1.05TJS 9.67
$1.49¥9.91
-29.53%
Taxi(Normal Tariff)(1km)
$0.34TJS 3.17
$0.37¥2.50
-8.11%
Taxi 1hour Waiting(Normal Tariff)
$6.36TJS 58.6
$7.10¥47.31
-10.42%
Gasoline(1 liter)
$1.18TJS 10.90
$1.26¥8.39
-6.35%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l(Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$21.4KTJS 197.5K
$19.4K¥129.6K
10.10%
Compact Sedan 1.6l(Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$22.5KTJS 207.9K
$17.5K¥116.9K
28.50%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tajikistan
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment(Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage)(85m2)
$52.1TJS 481
$54.6¥364
-4.44%
SIM Card Monthly Plan(Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$8.94TJS 82.4
$8.73¥58.2
2.41%
Internet(50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$19.06TJS 176
$11.07¥73.8
72.18%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Tajikistan
China
Difference
Gym Membership(Monthly)
$39.08TJS 360
$40.77¥272
-4.15%
Tennis Court(1 Hour on Weekend)
$13.81TJS 127
$14.48¥96.5
-4.63%
Cinema Ticket
$5.50TJS 50.7
$6.78¥45.19
-18.88%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Tajikistan
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child(Monthly)
$99.7TJS 919
$517¥3,443
-80.71%
International Primary School, 1 Child(Yearly)
$6,695TJS 61.8K
$19.8K¥132.0K
-66.21%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Tajikistan
China
Difference
Jeans(Levis 501 Or Similar)
$24.66TJS 228
$46.53¥310
-47.00%
Summer Dress(H&M, Zara, etc)
$42.04TJS 388
$35.66¥238
17.89%
Sport Shoes(Adidas, Nike)
$66.2TJS 611
$77.0¥513
-14.00%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$57.8TJS 533
$80.3¥535
-27.95%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Tajikistan
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$534TJS 4,922
$386¥2,572
38.32%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$303TJS 2,793
$235¥1,563
29.12%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center(Monthly)
$752TJS 6,938
$822¥5,478
-8.47%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center(Monthly)
$563TJS 5,191
$453¥3,020
24.21%
Buy Apartment in City Center(m2)
$1,213TJS 11.2K
$4,697¥31.3K
-74.17%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center(m2)
$686TJS 6,329
$2,372¥15.8K
-71.07%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Tajikistan
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary(After Tax)
$414TJS 3,822
$1,093¥7,286
-62.09%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate(Annual %)
22.56
3.46
552.02%
CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.
Last update for Tajikistan: October 25, 2026
Last update for China: October 24, 2026
Monthly budget structure
Share of the monthly basket for one person, rent included.
Share of the monthly basket for a family of three, rent included.
🏠Accommodation & Living
Tajikistan
$303 35.9%
China
$235 29.6% ↓ 22.6%$68
🛒Groceries & Markets
Tajikistan
$210 24.9%
China
$210 26.5% ↑ 0.1%$0.3
🍽Eating Out
Tajikistan
$95 11.3%
China
$88 11.1% ↓ 7.1%$6.8
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Tajikistan
$86 10.2%
China
$108 13.6% ↑ 25.5%$22
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tajikistan
$80 9.5%
China
$74 9.4% ↓ 7.2%$5.8
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Tajikistan
$50 5.9%
China
$54 6.9% ↑ 8.5%$4.3
🚌Getting Around
Tajikistan
$20 2.4%
China
$22 2.8% ↑ 12.5%$2.5
🏠Accommodation & Living
Tajikistan
$563 32.2%
China
$453 26.5% ↓ 19.5%$110
🛒Groceries & Markets
Tajikistan
$481 27.5%
China
$483 28.3% ↑ 0.6%$2.8
🍽Eating Out
Tajikistan
$272 15.6%
China
$284 16.6% ↑ 4.3%$12
👕👟Clothing & Footwear
Tajikistan
$191 10.9%
China
$239 14% ↑ 25.5%$49
🧾Monthly Utilities & Internet
Tajikistan
$89 5.1%
China
$83 4.9% ↓ 6.7%$6
🎉Sport & Entertainment
Tajikistan
$114 6.5%
China
$123 7.2% ↑ 8.1%$9.2
🚌Getting Around
Tajikistan
$40 2.3%
China
$45 2.6% ↑ 12.4%$5
Cost Breakdown
🏠National rent averages: $490 in Tajikistan, $298 in China. Capital cities: $633 in Dushanbe vs $933 in Beijing (Pekin).
💰National salary averages: $377 in Tajikistan, $873 in China. Higher pay doesn’t always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.
Cost Highlights
⭐Rent is 64% higher in Tajikistan.
⭐Dining out costs 38% more in China.
⭐Public transport is 80% more expensive in China.
⭐Salaries are about 2.3 times higher in China, and purchasing power comes out stronger in China.
Distances are measured in a straight line. Your location is detected approximately.
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
Tajikistan vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Tajikistan?
At $791 per month in China and $843 in Tajikistan, there’s a 7% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.
How do rents compare between China and Tajikistan?
Rent for a central one-bedroom averages $490 in Tajikistan and $298 in China. Rents vary a lot between cities, so the gap depends on where you settle.
How do I choose between living in China and in Tajikistan?
It depends on what you’re after: China wins on affordability; Tajikistan may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.
Tajikistan vs other spots: cost of living compared