Cost of Living in China (2024)

FAQs

Is it expensive to live in China? ›

A single person estimated monthly costs are 554.5$ (4,017.1¥) without rent. Cost of living in China is, on average, 54.6% lower than in United States. Rent in China is, on average, 71.7% lower than in United States.

You can live in most China's major cities for far less than $1,000 per month, and with a great lifestyle. However, there's always room for luxury and more spending. It costs around $1,000 or more to rent a nice apartment in the center of Beijing or Shanghai if that's the kind of lifestyle you are seeking.

1) Average Salary in China, Country-wide

The 25th percentile of recruitment salaries is ¥6,001 RMB ($836 USD)/month, The median is ¥8,001 RMB ($1,115 USD)/month, The 75th percentile is ¥12,001 RMB ($1,672 USD)/month.

Well, over in China, you can pay as little as $300 and as much as $1000 per month depending on where you live. The major cities will have the higher rents, while the outskirts of the city are much cheaper.

$1000usd is approximately 7000元, which for most parts of China would be equivalent to $7000usd of spending power. For the average Chinese this is a significant amount of money, for a poor person in rural China it can be life changing type of money.

In 2024, the highest minimum hourly wages in China were to be found in Beijing and Tianjin municipalities with 26.4 and 24.4 yuan respectively, whereas employees in Ningxia autonomous region and Hainan province who received a minimum wage were paid the least – between 16 and 18 yuan per hour.

The exception to cheap groceries in China is dairy products. One gallon of milk costs $7.20 to $8.80 and a pound of local cheese costs $5.55 to $6.75.

Healthcare in China is free for Chinese citizens and Chinese permanent residents. If you're a foreigner with permanent resident status you may be able to access government supported public health insurance. If not, you'll need private health cover.

Let's start with the most important question - can you legally move to China as an American citizen? The short answer is yes, but you'll need the right paperwork. There are a few different routes into China as a US national. You can move there for work, study or for other commercial activities.

In 2022, the average price for residential real estate in Shenzhen was over 55.700 thousand yuan per square meter. This was the highest price among all major cities in China, with the average price across the country amounting to 17,359 yuan per square meter.

Is 10000 yuan a lot of money in China? ›

Those on salaries of 2,000 to 5,000 yuan (US$295 to US$740) a month were deemed “middle income”, while a “relatively high” monthly income was 5,000 to 10,000 yuan (US$740 to US$1,480). Anyone earning more than 10,000 yuan a month was in the “high income” group.

1. Chief Executive Officer (3-8 million) Within the corporate hierarchy, the CEO role commands top compensation for its pivotal influence on growth and strategic direction. Our data consistently highlights CEOs, especially in the IT, consumer, life sciences, and manufacturing sectors, as among the highest earners.

For a three-bedroom apartment in the city center, you will pay about RMB 19,550 per month (approx. USD 2,800). It is even more expensive than in Shanghai. To rent a similar apartment in the city center, you will have to pay RMB 7,000–18,000 per month (approx.

In addition to its low labor costs, China has become known as "the world's factory" because of its strong business ecosystem, lack of regulatory compliance, low taxes and duties, and competitive currency practices.

1 USD = 7.2467 CNY Apr 23, 2024 08:50 UTC

The currency converter below is easy to use and the currency rates are updated frequently.

In 2022, the average price for residential real estate in Shenzhen was over 55.700 thousand yuan per square meter. This was the highest price among all major cities in China, with the average price across the country amounting to 17,359 yuan per square meter.

From the bustling metropolises of Shanghai and Beijing to the ancient city of Xi'an, expats moving to China can expect a fresh and enriching lifestyle, with a high standard of living and ample opportunity to experience Chinese culture – not to mention its world-famous cuisine.