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: $698 in Xi'an versus $726 in Serra.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,110 in Xi'an versus $1,102 in Serra.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,523 in Xi'an versus $1,478 in Serra.

Living in Xi'an costs roughly 4% less than in Serra, driven mainly by Getting Around.

Both cities sit below the global median: Xi'an 48% lower, Serra 46% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$2.72 ¥18.39

$4.45 R$22.29

-38.88%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$18.18 ¥123

$20.97 R$105

-13.30%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$5.60 ¥37.90

$6.46 R$32.30

-13.31%

Cappuccino

$3.50 ¥23.65

$1.72 R$8.62

103.49%

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

$0.43 ¥2.90

$0.71 R$3.55

-39.44%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.26 ¥1.74

$0.53 R$2.64

-50.94%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$1.09 ¥7.35

$0.82 R$4.11

32.93%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.70 ¥11.51

$3.26 R$16.31

-47.85%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.57 ¥10.65

$0.85 R$4.25

84.71%

White Bread (500g)

$1.57 ¥10.61

$1.51 R$7.58

3.97%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.51

$1.01 R$5.06

-19.80%

Eggs

$1.62 ¥10.94

$1.60 R$8.03

1.25%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$7.07 ¥47.78

$7.53 R$37.71

-6.11%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$1.98 ¥13.41

$3.77 R$18.86

-47.48%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$9.01 ¥60.9

$6.31 R$31.57

42.79%

Apples (1kg)

$1.64 ¥11.09

$2.13 R$10.64

-23.00%

Banana (1kg)

$1.13 ¥7.66

$1.38 R$6.88

-18.12%

Oranges (1kg)

$1.29 ¥8.75

$1.22 R$6.12

5.74%

Tomato (1kg)

$0.81 ¥5.50

$1.43 R$7.15

-43.36%

Potato (1kg)

$0.71 ¥4.77

$1.09 R$5.48

-34.86%

Onion (1kg)

$0.60 ¥4.06

$1.20 R$6.02

-50.00%

Lettuce (1 head)

$0.51 ¥3.45

$0.63 R$3.13

-19.05%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.56 ¥3.81

$0.53 R$2.64

5.66%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$2.73 ¥18.47

$2.19 R$10.97

24.66%

Wine (Bottle)

$7.58 ¥51.3

$5.82 R$29.11

30.24%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$0.73 ¥4.95

$0.94 R$4.70

-22.34%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.69 ¥11.45

$1.21 R$6.07

39.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$0.47 ¥3.19

$0.87 R$4.33

-45.98%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$33.76 ¥228

$42.17 R$211

-19.94%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.40 ¥9.46

$1.15 R$5.74

21.74%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$0.32 ¥2.17

$0.91 R$4.57

-64.84%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$4.15 ¥28.05

$3.73 R$18.64

11.26%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.15 ¥7.76

$0.99 R$4.94

16.16%

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

$20.8K ¥140.6K

$21.5K R$107.4K

-3.13%

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

$16.3K ¥110.3K

$30.3K R$151.6K

-46.17%

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

$45.08 ¥305

$105 R$523

-56.90%

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

$6.07 ¥41.02

$11.48 R$57.4

-47.13%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$11.80 ¥79.8

$17.50 R$87.6

-32.57%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$42.67 ¥289

$35.78 R$179

19.26%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.77 ¥113

$26.58 R$133

-36.91%

Cinema Ticket

$4.79 ¥32.41

$4.47 R$22.37

7.16%

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

$339 ¥2,291

$167 R$836

102.78%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$18.0K ¥121.9K

$6,380 R$31.9K

182.67%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$54.9 ¥371

$36.76 R$184

49.35%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$37.75 ¥255

$54.0 R$270

-30.08%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$68.8 ¥465

$80.7 R$404

-14.76%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$70.3 ¥475

$70.6 R$353

-0.44%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$251 ¥1,697

$227 R$1,134

10.74%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$194 ¥1,315

$134 R$672

44.86%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$496 ¥3,356

$402 R$2,010

23.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$373 ¥2,520

$196 R$980

90.35%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$2,392 ¥16.2K

$963 R$4,821

148.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,620 ¥11.0K

$563 R$2,820

187.49%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$1,058 ¥7,152

$557 R$2,790

89.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

4.32

10.38

-58.38%

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

Last update for Xi'an: May 31, 2026

Last update for Serra: June 1, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $251 in Xi'an and $227 in Serra. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Xi'an pays 90% 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 $21.00 in Serra for a mid-range dinner for two. Groceries echo the gap at $158 vs $159 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, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 4% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

Xi'an pays 90% more on average, 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: $251 in Xi'an versus $227 in Serra. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Supermarket bills run roughly 0% 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 $21.00 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 4% less than in Serra. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.