Cost of Living Comparison Between Yemen and China Cost of Living Comparison Between Yemen and China

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $626 in Yemen versus $712 in China.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $1,062 in Yemen versus $1,131 in China.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $1,497 in Yemen versus $1,550 in China.

Living in Yemen costs about 12% less than in China on average.

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

Currency
🍽 Eating Out
Yemen
China
Difference
Meal at Budget Restaurant
$7.56 YER 1,790
$2.86 ¥19.35
164.34%
Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range
$27.29 YER 6,459
$23.44 ¥159
16.42%
Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)
$10.42 YER 2,466
$4.84 ¥32.75
115.29%
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter draught)
$2.91 YER 690
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$3.74 YER 885
-
-
Cappuccino
$4.38 YER 1,036
$3.11 ¥21.06
40.84%
Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)
$1.74 YER 411
$0.44 ¥3.00
295.45%
Water (0.33 liter bottle)
$0.64 YER 151
$0.29 ¥1.99
120.69%
Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)
-
$0.98 ¥6.64
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$2.05 ¥13.88
-
🛒 Groceries & Markets
Yemen
China
Difference
Milk (1 liter)
$2.67 YER 631
$1.84 ¥12.47
45.11%
White Bread (500g)
$1.36 YER 323
$1.62 ¥10.94
-16.05%
Rice (white) (1kg)
$3.91 YER 925
$0.93 ¥6.28
320.43%
Eggs
$4.84 YER 1,146
$1.63 ¥11.03
196.93%
Local Cheese (1kg)
$9.36 YER 2,214
$13.15 ¥89.0
-28.82%
Chicken Fillets (1kg)
$10.64 YER 2,517
$3.26 ¥22.09
226.38%
Beef Round Steak (1kg)
$26.49 YER 6,270
$10.62 ¥71.9
149.44%
Apples (1kg)
$5.66 YER 1,340
$1.80 ¥12.19
214.44%
Banana (1kg)
$1.95 YER 461
$1.30 ¥8.77
50.00%
Oranges (1kg)
$4.13 YER 978
$1.46 ¥9.90
182.88%
Tomato (1kg)
$2.82 YER 667
$1.20 ¥8.15
135.00%
Potato (1kg)
$2.51 YER 594
$0.76 ¥5.14
230.26%
Onion (1kg)
$2.03 YER 481
$0.88 ¥5.93
130.68%
Lettuce (1 head)
$0.71 YER 168
$0.57 ¥3.86
24.56%
Water (1.5 liter bottle)
$1.05 YER 248
$0.54 ¥3.63
94.44%
Bottle of Non-Alcoholic Wine (Mid-Range)
$2.54 YER 601
-
-
Local Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
$1.52 YER 361
-
-
Imported Non-Alcoholic Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
$2.82 YER 668
-
-
Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)
$4.89 YER 1,157
$3.42 ¥23.17
42.98%
Wine (Bottle)
-
$11.75 ¥79.5
-
Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)
-
$0.80 ¥5.40
-
Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)
-
$1.62 ¥10.95
-
🚌 Getting Around
Yemen
China
Difference
One-way Ticket (Public Transport)
$0.42 YER 99.7
$0.43 ¥2.94
-2.33%
Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)
$83.7 YER 19.8K
$20.47 ¥139
308.79%
Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)
$2.44 YER 578
$1.36 ¥9.24
79.41%
Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)
$4.08 YER 965
$0.35 ¥2.39
1065.71%
Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)
$5.99 YER 1,419
$6.50 ¥43.97
-7.85%
Gasoline (1 liter)
$3.00 YER 710
$1.12 ¥7.59
167.86%
Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)
$16.3K YER 3.9M
$19.5K ¥131.8K
-16.31%
Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)
$44.2K YER 10.5M
$16.9K ¥114.1K
162.23%
🧾 Monthly Utilities & Internet
Yemen
China
Difference
Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)
$87.0 YER 20.6K
$51.7 ¥350
68.18%
SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)
$15.96 YER 3,777
$10.17 ¥68.8
56.93%
Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)
$54.6 YER 12.9K
$11.16 ¥75.5
388.98%
🎉 Sport & Entertainment
Yemen
China
Difference
Gym Membership (Monthly)
$63.1 YER 14.9K
$39.62 ¥268
59.31%
Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)
$14.74 YER 3,490
$14.53 ¥98.3
1.45%
Cinema Ticket
$5.78 YER 1,369
$6.38 ¥43.19
-9.40%
🧸 Childcare & Education
Yemen
China
Difference
Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)
$80.7 YER 19.1K
$407 ¥2,756
-80.20%
International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)
$1,963 YER 464.6K
$17.8K ¥120.7K
-89.00%
👕👟 Clothing & Footwear
Yemen
China
Difference
Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)
$63.8 YER 15.1K
$45.53 ¥308
40.15%
Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)
$103 YER 24.3K
$32.31 ¥219
217.55%
Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)
$57.1 YER 13.5K
$72.6 ¥491
-21.33%
Men's Leather Business Shoes
$78.4 YER 18.6K
$74.4 ¥504
5.38%
🏠 Accommodation & Living
Yemen
China
Difference
1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$204 YER 48.3K
$443 ¥2,996
-53.95%
1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$127 YER 30.1K
$258 ¥1,747
-50.72%
3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)
$492 YER 116.4K
$910 ¥6,162
-46.01%
3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)
$371 YER 87.7K
$543 ¥3,677
-31.80%
Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)
$1,216 YER 287.9K
$4,934 ¥33.4K
-75.35%
Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)
$1,006 YER 238.0K
$2,398 ¥16.2K
-58.06%
💵 Salaries & Financials
Yemen
China
Difference
Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)
$268 YER 63.3K
$1,065 ¥7,205
-74.86%
20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)
12.31
4.06
203.20%

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

Last update for Yemen: July 12, 2026

Last update for China: July 13, 2026

Cost Breakdown

National rent averages: $69.0 in Yemen, $287 in China. Capital cities: $166 in Sanaa vs $894 in Beijing (Pekin).

National salary averages: $314 in Yemen, $855 in China. Higher pay doesn't always mean more spending money – weigh income against local costs.

Cost Highlights

Rent is 316% higher in China.

Public transport is 29% more expensive in China.

Salaries are 172% higher in China, 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
Yemen vs China: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions
Which country is more expensive to live in: China or Yemen?
At $862 per month in China and $692 in Yemen, there's a 25% 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 Yemen?
Day-to-day life is simply cheaper in Yemen: 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 Yemen?
Rent in China is consistently higher than in Yemen 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 Yemen?
In Yemen, $2,000 covers most cities easily; in China 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 Yemen?
It depends on what you're after: Yemen wins on affordability; China may offer higher salaries, better infrastructure, and different cultural perks. Both attract large expat communities for different reasons.

Yemen vs other spots: cost of living compared

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