China vs Thailand - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

China Thailand
🚶 Cost of living one person
$650
$914
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1771
$2348
🏠 One person rent
$270
$414
🏘️ Family rent
$453
$715
🍽️ Food expenses
$231
$288
🚐 Transport expenses
$70.4
$112
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$819
$561
💸 GDP per capita
$13303
$7347
😃 Human freedom index
4.93
6.79
❤️ Life expectancy
78
76.4
👮 Corruption perceptions index
43
33
🌐 English speaking %
0.7%
27.2%
🎓 Higher education
88
78
😀 Quality of life
52
56
🏙️ Population
1.41B
71.7M

The average cost of living in China ($650) is 29% less expensive than in Thailand ($914). China ranked 162nd vs 110th for Thailand in the list of the most expensive countries in the world.

The average after-tax salary is enough to cover living expenses for 1.3 months in China compared to 0.6 months in Thailand. Ranked 85th and 78th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

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Prices in China vs Thailand

We calculate prices for China and Thailand as a population-weighted mean of 544 and 35 cities, respectively. Since large cities tend to have a higher cost of living, it's better to visit specific city pages below for more relevant information.

China Thailand
Eating Out
🍱 Lunch Menu
$3.14
$3.07
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$21.9
$30.1
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$4.95
$6.83
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.31
$2.86
 Cappuccino
$2.85
$2.62
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.5
$0.78
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$309
$553
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$204
$283
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$662
$1776
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$412
$717
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$34.3
$58.7
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$52.7
$90.6
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$11.2
$20.2
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
3.61%
5.72%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4120
$4946
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2333
$2732
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.36
$1.09
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$20.3
$35.7
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$4.13
$11.2
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.13
$1.25
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.8
$1.92
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.63
$1.67
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.01
$1.43
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.57
$2.48
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.6
$16.8
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.42
$3.37
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$10.7
$11.3
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.79
$3.45
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.22
$1.72
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.44
$2.19
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.24
$1.99
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.75
$1.68
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.91
$1.42
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.39
$0.39
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.23
$1.31
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$11.5
$16.8
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$0.84
$1.88
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.34
$4.64
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$5.1
$2.56
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.73
$4.07
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.5
$1.8
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.7
$1.87
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$40.3
$62.4
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$6.11
$7.78
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$33.7
$34
💇 Haircut, simple
$5.66
$7.35
👖 Brand Jeans
$46.5
$58
👟 Brand Sneakers
$72.6
$102
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$442
$590
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$17761
$15181

Cost of living in other countries

Cost of living

Cities Comparison in China vs Thailand

More countries to compare

Cost of Living in Popular cities

In China

City Cost of living Population
Chongqing
$601
32.1M
Chengdu
$666
20.9M
Shanghai
$1126
24.9M
Shenzhen
$939
17.5M
Beijing
$1044
21.9M
Guangzhou
$782
18.7M
Tianjin
$663
13.9M
Wuhan
$653
12.3M
Suzhou
$782
12.7M
Xi'an
$585
13M
Baoding
$468
11.5M
Hangzhou
$860
11.9M
Qingdao
$649
10.1M
Changsha
$617
10M
Hong Kong
$2674
7.41M
Harbin
$680
10M
Linyi
$530
11M
Hefei
$654
9.37M
Nanjing
$765
9.31M
Jinan
$547
9.2M
Ningbo
$671
9.4M
Zhengzhou
$511
12.6M
Xuzhou
$514
9.08M
Dongguan
$666
10.5M
Nantong
$557
7.73M
Changchun
$588
9.07M
Wenzhou
$763
9.57M
Yantai
$705
7.1M
Shenyang
$575
9.07M
Shijiazhuang
$493
10.6M

In Thailand

City Cost of living Population
Bangkok
$1027
5.68M
Chiang Mai
$780
1.2M
Nonthaburi
$789
256K
Pak Kret
$788
190K
Surat Thani
$612
131K
Nakhon Ratchasima
$610
134K
Udon Thani
$581
130K
Hat Yai
$622
159K
Chaophraya Surasak
$823
133K
Nakhon Si Thammarat
$834
106K
Khon Kaen
$621
116K
Klaeng
$768
130K
Phuket
$1059
77.6K
Rangsit
$656
79.3K
Pattaya
$874
120K
Lat Luang
$833
73.9K
Nakhon Pathom
$658
78.8K
Tha Khlong
$710
72.8K
Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$829
76.7K
Ko Samui
$782
69K
Nakhon Sawan
$730
86.4K
Laem Chabang
$838
77.8K
Phitsanulok
$585
70.9K
Hua Hin
$784
59.4K
Krabi
$891
30.5K
Nong Prue
$846
70.6K
Chiang Rai
$626
70.6K
Ubon Ratchathani
$583
79K
Ko Lanta
$846
33.4K
Ao Nang
$808
14K