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

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $691 in Xi'an versus $847 in Serra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,093 in Xi'an versus $1,267 in Serra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,494 in Xi'an versus $1,687 in Serra.

Living in Xi'an costs roughly 18% less than in Serra, driven mainly by Eating Out.

Both cities sit below the global median: Xi'an 50% lower, Serra 38% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.62 ¥17.58

$4.69 R$23.93

-44.14%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.12 ¥122

$22.21 R$113

-18.42%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$4.44 ¥29.81

$7.74 R$39.47

-42.64%

Cappuccino

$2.13 ¥14.31

$1.88 R$9.61

13.30%

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

$0.41 ¥2.73

$1.28 R$6.54

-67.97%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.29 ¥1.96

$0.55 R$2.81

-47.27%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.47 ¥9.88

$1.92 R$9.82

-23.44%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.46 ¥9.79

$2.86 R$14.61

-48.95%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.47 ¥9.89

$1.13 R$5.78

30.09%

White Bread (500g)

$1.74 ¥11.69

$1.79 R$9.15

-2.79%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.90 ¥6.01

$1.09 R$5.57

-17.43%

Eggs

$1.48 ¥9.94

$2.03 R$10.37

-27.09%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$11.50 ¥77.1

$10.00 R$51.0

15.00%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.56 ¥23.89

$4.29 R$21.89

-17.02%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$10.45 ¥70.1

$8.09 R$41.25

29.17%

Apples (1kg)

$1.66 ¥11.15

$2.78 R$14.20

-40.29%

Banana (1kg)

$1.12 ¥7.51

$1.48 R$7.53

-24.32%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.24 ¥8.30

$1.73 R$8.80

-28.32%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.30 ¥8.73

$1.49 R$7.62

-12.75%

Potato (1kg)

$0.67 ¥4.52

$1.14 R$5.83

-41.23%

Onion (1kg)

$0.76 ¥5.07

$1.07 R$5.46

-28.97%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.53 ¥3.57

$1.21 R$6.20

-56.20%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.55 ¥3.68

$1.28 R$6.51

-57.03%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.35 ¥22.50

$2.44 R$12.46

37.30%

Wine (Bottle)

$8.57 ¥57.5

$5.52 R$28.16

55.25%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.78 ¥5.22

$0.91 R$4.65

-14.29%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.64 ¥11.01

$3.21 R$16.35

-48.91%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.31 ¥2.09

$0.89 R$4.54

-65.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$25.93 ¥174

$46.58 R$238

-44.33%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.28 ¥8.62

$1.27 R$6.46

0.79%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.29 ¥1.92

$1.09 R$5.56

-73.39%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.38 ¥29.39

$6.93 R$35.35

-36.80%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.28 ¥8.60

$1.10 R$5.59

16.36%

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

$19.0K ¥127.2K

$22.8K R$116.3K

-16.89%

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

$17.8K ¥119.4K

$32.5K R$165.9K

-45.32%

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

$62.2 ¥417

$152 R$778

-59.24%

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

$6.28 ¥42.11

$12.22 R$62.3

-48.61%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$10.76 ¥72.2

$20.46 R$104

-47.41%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$30.18 ¥203

$25.57 R$130

18.03%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$21.09 ¥142

$26.17 R$133

-19.41%

Cinema Ticket

$5.49 ¥36.83

$7.10 R$36.22

-22.68%

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

$687 ¥4,612

$175 R$892

293.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$17.5K ¥117.7K

$7,433 R$37.9K

135.97%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$38.47 ¥258

$52.6 R$268

-26.82%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.60 ¥252

$48.11 R$245

-21.85%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$73.5 ¥493

$90.2 R$460

-18.55%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$84.4 ¥567

$71.2 R$363

18.66%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$309 ¥2,072

$241 R$1,230

28.01%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$173 ¥1,162

$145 R$738

19.65%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$871 ¥5,843

$431 R$2,196

102.20%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$352 ¥2,362

$211 R$1,078

66.55%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,425 ¥16.3K

$941 R$4,799

157.72%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,621 ¥10.9K

$531 R$2,708

205.29%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,093 ¥7,331

$544 R$2,774

100.91%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

3.35

11.12

-69.87%

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

Last update for Xi'an: September 1, 2026

Last update for Serra: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $309 in Xi'an and $241 in Serra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Xi'an pays 101% more on average while also being the cheaper of the two. The combined effect is a noticeably stronger local purchasing power.

Dining out: $18.00 in Xi'an vs $22.00 in Serra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $188 vs $202 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

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

Xi'an is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Eating Out, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 23% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Average pay runs 101% higher in Xi'an, which matters when comparing affordability. Whether that higher income actually nets you more depends on your spending habits and housing choices.

Rent for a central apartment: $309 in Xi'an versus $241 in Serra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 7% 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 $22.00 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 23% less than in Serra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.