Cost of Living Comparison Between Western Sahara and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Western Sahara and China

Name: China
Address: CN

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $636 in Western Sahara versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,031 in Western Sahara versus $1,132 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,426 in Western Sahara versus $1,551 in China.

Living in Western Sahara costs about 11% less than in China on average.

Both countries sit below the global median: Western Sahara 53% lower, China 47% lower.

Internal cost variation is higher in Western Sahara: monthly costs span $636 to $636, compared to $520–$1,209 in China. City choice carries more weight in Western Sahara.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$3.90 MAD 35.83

$2.81 ¥18.98

38.79%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$28.73 MAD 264

$23.30 ¥158

23.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.52 MAD 41.55

$5.01 ¥33.87

-9.78%

Cappuccino

$1.68 MAD 15.40

$3.01 ¥20.38

-44.19%

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

$0.49 MAD 4.47

$0.45 ¥3.03

8.89%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.32 MAD 2.93

$0.29 ¥1.97

10.34%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.53 MAD 32.49

$0.95 ¥6.41

271.58%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$4.51 MAD 41.42

$2.05 ¥13.87

120.00%

Milk (1 liter)

$0.84 MAD 7.71

$1.76 ¥11.87

-52.27%

White Bread (500g)

$0.60 MAD 5.49

$1.62 ¥10.98

-62.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.81 MAD 16.59

$0.95 ¥6.45

90.53%

Eggs

$1.43 MAD 13.13

$1.56 ¥10.55

-8.33%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.38 MAD 105

$13.06 ¥88.3

-12.86%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 MAD 32.68

$3.28 ¥22.17

8.54%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.17 MAD 84.3

$10.65 ¥72.0

-13.90%

Apples (1kg)

$1.49 MAD 13.67

$1.78 ¥12.03

-16.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 MAD 10.38

$1.24 ¥8.42

-8.87%

Oranges (1kg)

$0.67 MAD 6.20

$1.50 ¥10.12

-55.33%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.56 MAD 5.18

$1.15 ¥7.79

-51.30%

Potato (1kg)

$0.47 MAD 4.33

$0.75 ¥5.07

-37.33%

Onion (1kg)

$0.34 MAD 3.12

$0.86 ¥5.81

-60.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.97 MAD 8.93

$0.62 ¥4.17

56.45%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.59 MAD 5.45

$0.56 ¥3.81

5.36%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.51 ¥23.76

Wine (Bottle)

$11.66 ¥78.9

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.80 ¥5.40

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.53 MAD 32.47

$1.66 ¥11.25

112.65%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.59 MAD 5.46

$0.43 ¥2.93

37.21%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.43 MAD 105

$20.86 ¥141

-45.21%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$0.73 MAD 6.69

$1.37 ¥9.26

-46.72%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.70 MAD 6.40

$0.35 ¥2.38

100.00%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$6.63 ¥44.82

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.29 MAD 11.89

$1.14 ¥7.69

13.16%

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

$40.2K MAD 369.6K

$19.2K ¥129.7K

109.67%

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

$26.4K MAD 242.2K

$16.8K ¥113.4K

57.21%

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

$32.89 MAD 302

$51.2 ¥346

-35.72%

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

$10.16 ¥68.7

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$22.49 MAD 207

$11.51 ¥77.9

95.40%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$23.60 MAD 217

$40.53 ¥274

-41.77%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$34.93 MAD 321

$15.05 ¥102

132.09%

Cinema Ticket

$3.38 MAD 31.10

$6.10 ¥41.26

-44.59%

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

$294 MAD 2,701

$402 ¥2,719

-26.92%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$3,410 MAD 31.3K

$17.7K ¥119.5K

-80.70%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$34.24 MAD 315

$45.57 ¥308

-24.86%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$58.3 MAD 536

$33.26 ¥225

75.41%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.9 MAD 680

$72.6 ¥491

1.83%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$80.4 MAD 739

$74.5 ¥503

8.05%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$350 MAD 3,216

$429 ¥2,903

-18.49%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$174 MAD 1,603

$257 ¥1,739

-32.17%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$684 MAD 6,289

$895 ¥6,055

-23.57%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$289 MAD 2,653

$541 ¥3,660

-46.67%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,015 ¥33.9K

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,469 ¥16.7K

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,055 ¥7,132

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.06

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

Last update for Western Sahara: June 1, 2026

Last update for China: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $354 in Western Sahara, $286 in China. Capital cities: $354 in Laayoune vs $916 in Beijing (Pekin).

Cost Highlights

Rent is 24% higher in Western Sahara.

Dining out costs 38% more in Western Sahara.

Public transport is 64% more expensive 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

Western Sahara vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

At $865 per month in China and $636 in Western Sahara, there's a 36% gap. Keep in mind it varies by city – the difference can be bigger or smaller depending on where you settle within each country.

Western Sahara 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 Western Sahara across the board, especially in major cities. Housing is usually the single biggest driver of the overall cost difference between the two countries.

In Western Sahara, $800 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. Western Sahara wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.