China vs Thailand - Cost of Living Comparison

Updated:

Livingcost

China Thailand
🚶 Cost of living one person
$686
$876
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Cost of living Family
$1939
$2537
🏠 One person rent
$292
$377
🏘️ Family rent
$561
$922
🍽️ Food expenses
$239
$286
🚐 Transport expenses
$73.6
$119
💳 Monthly salary after tax
$864
$696
💸 GDP per capita
$12614
$7172
😃 Human freedom index
5.15
6.67
❤️ Life expectancy
78.6
79.7
👮 Corruption perceptions index
42
35
🌐 English speaking %
0.7%
27.2%
🎓 Higher education
91
78
😀 Quality of life
48
56
🏙️ Population
1.44B
66.2M

The average cost of living in China ($686) is 22% less expensive than in Thailand ($876). China ranked 144th vs 106th 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 0.8 months in Thailand. Ranked 84th and 66th best countries to live in the world.

Salary adjustment calculator
the estimated difference in money purchasing power

Cost of living in China vs Thailand infographic

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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
$3.44
$3.4
🥂 Dinner in a Restaurant, for 2
$22.8
$27.9
🥪 Fast food meal, equiv. McDonald's
$5.19
$6.35
🍻 Beer in a Pub, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$1.31
$2.82
 Cappuccino
$3.2
$2.54
🥤 Pepsi / Coke, 0.5 L or 16.9 fl oz
$0.51
$0.66
Rent & Utilities
🏙️ 1 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$331
$503
🏡 Cheap 1 bedroom apartment, 40 m2 or 430 ft2
$222
$256
🏙️ 3 bedroom apartment in Downtown, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$676
$1332
🏡 Cheap 3 bedroom apartment, 80 m2 or 860 ft2
$449
$694
🔌 Utility Bill one person, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$35.3
$55.4
🔌 Utility Bill for a Family, electricity, heating, water, etc.
$54.3
$84.8
🌐 Internet plan, 50 Mbps+ 1 month unlimited
$12.6
$16.1
🏦 Mortgage Interest Rate for 20 Years
4.4%
5.85%
🏙️ Apartment price to Buy in city Center, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$4645
$4556
🏡 House price to Buy in Suburbs, 1 m2 or 10 ft2
$2808
$2354
Transportation
🚌 Local transport ticket
$0.37
$1.05
🎟️ Monthly ticket local transport
$21.7
$36.1
🚕 Taxi Ride, 8 km or 5 mi
$4.18
$11.7
 Gas / Petrol, 1 L or 0.26 gal
$1.18
$1.23
Groceries
🥛 Milk, 1 L or 1 qt
$1.86
$1.91
🍞 Bread, 0.5 kg or 1.1 lb
$1.58
$1.63
🍚 Rice, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.03
$1.5
🥚 Eggs, x12
$1.68
$2.36
🧀 Cheese, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$12.9
$20.5
🐔 Chicken Breast, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$3.5
$3.26
🥩 Round Steak, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$11.8
$10.8
🍏 Apples, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.7
$3.09
🍌 Banana, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.32
$1.53
🍊 Oranges, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.57
$2.16
🍅 Tomato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$1.24
$2.01
🥔 Potato, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.8
$1.64
🧅 Onion, 1 kg or 2.2 lb
$0.94
$1.37
🌊 Water, 1 L or 1 qt
$0.38
$0.35
🍹 Coca-Cola / Pepsi, 2 L or 67.6 fl oz
$1.22
$1.28
🍾 Wine (mid-priced), 750 mL bottle
$12.1
$19
🍺 Beer, 0.5 L or 16 fl oz
$0.82
$1.85
🚬 Cigarette pack
$3.38
$4.33
💊 Cold medicince, 1 week
$4.91
$2.52
🧴 Hair Shampoo
$4.61
$4.39
🧻 Toilet paper, 4 rolls
$1.47
$1.82
👄 Toothpaste, 1 tube
$1.67
$1.99
Other
🏋️ Gym Membership, 1 month
$39.7
$52.5
🎫 Cinema Ticket, 1 person
$6.15
$6.87
👩‍⚕️ Doctor's visit
$34
$35.5
💇 Haircut, simple
$5.59
$7.88
👖 Brand Jeans
$54.2
$54.1
👟 Brand Sneakers
$77.5
$94.8
👶 Daycare or Preschool, 1 month
$461
$554
🏫 International Primary School, 1 year
$17526
$13110

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
Shanghai
$1136
24.9M
Beijing
$1067
21.9M
Hong Kong
$2753
7.41M
Shenzhen
$958
17.7M
Chongqing
$662
32.1M
Guangzhou
$763
18.7M
Chengdu
$660
20.9M
Tianjin
$710
13.9M
Hangzhou
$843
11.9M
Suzhou
$1020
12.7M
Xi'an
$594
13M
Wuhan
$692
12.3M
Baoding
$482
11.5M
Nantong
$620
7.73M
Wuxi
$686
7.46M
Pudong
$1028
5.68M
Bijie
$612
6.9M
Zhengzhou
$522
12.6M
Nanjing
$774
9.31M
Hefei
$727
9.37M
Qingdao
$681
10.1M
Changchun
$601
9.07M
Ganzhou
$813
8.97M
Guiyang
$576
5.99M
Foshan
$602
9.5M
Yantai
$740
7.1M
Jieyang
$691
5.58M
Changsha
$582
10M
Wenzhou
$776
9.57M
Xuzhou
$528
9.08M

In Thailand

City Cost of living Population
Bangkok
$994
5.68M
Chiang Mai
$742
1.2M
Nonthaburi
$759
256K
Pak Kret
$739
185K
Surat Thani
$635
131K
Nakhon Pathom
$564
78.8K
Nakhon Si Thammarat
$795
106K
Klaeng
$703
130K
Nakhon Ratchasima
$564
134K
Hat Yai
$561
159K
Chaophraya Surasak
$758
133K
Udon Thani
$555
130K
Rangsit
$613
79.3K
Phuket
$985
77.6K
Pu Chao Saming Phrai
$786
76.7K
Ko Samui
$745
69K
Pattaya
$800
120K
Tha Khlong
$664
72.8K
Lat Luang
$787
73.9K
Khon Kaen
$608
116K
Nakhon Sawan
$674
86.4K
Laem Chabang
$769
77.8K
Hua Hin
$676
59.4K
Nong Prue
$773
70.6K
Krabi
$807
30.5K
Phitsanulok
$559
70.9K
Ko Lanta
$799
33.4K
Ubon Ratchathani
$561
79K
Chiang Rai
$513
70.6K
Ao Nang
$822
14K