Cost of Living Comparison Between United Kingdom and China 
| Indices Difference |  |
|---|---|
| Cost of Living in China is 55.3% lower than in United Kingdom (excluding rent) | |
| Cost of Living Including Rent in China is 59.2% lower than in United Kingdom | |
| Rent Prices in China are 69.8% lower than in United Kingdom | |
| Restaurant Prices in China are 70.7% lower than in United Kingdom | |
| Groceries Prices in China are 44.4% lower than in United Kingdom | |
| Local Purchasing Power in China is 20.9% lower than in United Kingdom | |
Restaurants | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meal at an Inexpensive Restaurant |
£16.00 (¥142.47) |
£2.25 (¥20.00) |
-86.0 % |
| Meal for Two at a Mid-Range Restaurant (Three Courses, Without Drinks) |
£65.00 (¥578.78) |
£16.85 (¥150.00) |
-74.1 % |
| Combo Meal at McDonald's (or Equivalent Fast-Food Meal) |
£8.00 (¥71.23) |
£3.93 (¥35.00) |
-50.9 % |
| Domestic Draft Beer (1 Pint) |
£5.00 (¥44.52) |
£0.79 (¥7.00) |
-84.3 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) |
£5.00 (¥44.52) |
£1.68 (¥15.00) |
-66.3 % |
| Cappuccino (Regular Size) |
£3.60 (¥32.02) |
£2.25 (¥20.01) |
-37.5 % |
| Soft Drink (Coca-Cola or Pepsi, 12 oz Small Bottle) |
£1.96 (¥17.44) |
£0.37 (¥3.32) |
-81.0 % |
| Bottled Water (12 oz) |
£1.37 (¥12.24) |
£0.22 (¥1.95) |
-84.1 % |
Markets | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| Milk (Regular, 1 Liter) |
£1.25 (¥11.14) |
£1.33 (¥11.86) |
+6.4 % |
| Fresh White Bread (1 lb Loaf) |
£1.15 (¥10.27) |
£1.13 (¥10.04) |
-2.2 % |
| White Rice (1 lb) |
£0.75 (¥6.70) |
£0.33 (¥2.90) |
-56.7 % |
| Eggs (12, Large Size) |
£3.07 (¥27.37) |
£1.19 (¥10.56) |
-61.4 % |
| Local Cheese (1 lb) |
£3.29 (¥29.29) |
£4.51 (¥40.15) |
+37.1 % |
| Chicken Fillets (1 lb) |
£3.09 (¥27.52) |
£1.16 (¥10.32) |
-62.5 % |
| Beef Round or Equivalent Back Leg Red Meat (1 lb) |
£5.06 (¥45.06) |
£3.84 (¥34.21) |
-24.1 % |
| Apples (1 lb) |
£1.02 (¥9.10) |
£0.63 (¥5.57) |
-38.8 % |
| Bananas (1 lb) |
£0.56 (¥4.99) |
£0.44 (¥3.89) |
-22.0 % |
| Oranges (1 lb) |
£0.96 (¥8.57) |
£0.51 (¥4.58) |
-46.6 % |
| Tomatoes (1 lb) |
£1.16 (¥10.31) |
£0.44 (¥3.92) |
-62.0 % |
| Potatoes (1 lb) |
£0.61 (¥5.40) |
£0.25 (¥2.25) |
-58.4 % |
| Onions (1 lb) |
£0.54 (¥4.82) |
£0.31 (¥2.73) |
-43.3 % |
| Lettuce (1 Head) |
£0.91 (¥8.11) |
£0.47 (¥4.19) |
-48.3 % |
| Bottled Water (50 oz) |
£1.23 (¥10.95) |
£0.43 (¥3.83) |
-65.0 % |
| Bottle of Wine (Mid-Range) |
£8.00 (¥71.23) |
£8.98 (¥80.00) |
+12.3 % |
| Domestic Beer (16.9 oz Bottle) |
£2.26 (¥20.10) |
£0.65 (¥5.80) |
-71.1 % |
| Imported Beer (12 oz Small Bottle) |
£2.56 (¥22.79) |
£1.25 (¥11.11) |
-51.3 % |
| Cigarettes (Pack of 20, Marlboro) |
£17.75 (¥158.05) |
£2.81 (¥25.00) |
-84.2 % |
Transportation | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| One-Way Ticket (Local Transport) |
£2.60 (¥23.15) |
£0.22 (¥2.00) |
-91.4 % |
| Monthly Public Transport Pass (Regular Price) |
£77.40 (¥689.19) |
£16.85 (¥150.00) |
-78.2 % |
| Taxi Start (Standard Tariff) |
£4.00 (¥35.62) |
£1.12 (¥10.00) |
-71.9 % |
| Taxi 1 mile (Standard Tariff) |
£2.83 (¥25.22) |
£0.43 (¥3.86) |
-84.7 % |
| Taxi 1 Hour Waiting (Standard Tariff) |
£20.00 (¥178.09) |
£5.39 (¥48.00) |
-73.0 % |
| Gasoline (1 Liter) |
£1.50 (¥13.37) |
£0.96 (¥8.57) |
-35.9 % |
| Volkswagen Golf 1.5 (or Equivalent New Compact Car) |
£29,000.00 (¥258,223.99) |
£14,588.50 (¥129,900.00) |
-49.7 % |
| Toyota Corolla Sedan 1.6 (or Equivalent New Mid-Size Car) |
£30,426.49 (¥270,925.81) |
£13,009.24 (¥115,837.87) |
-57.2 % |
Utilities (Monthly) | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| Basic Utilities for 915 Square Feet Apartment (Electricity, Heating, Cooling, Water, Garbage) |
£241.66 (¥2,151.81) |
£41.33 (¥368.01) |
-82.9 % |
| Mobile Phone Plan (Monthly, with Calls and 10GB+ Data) |
£13.67 (¥121.73) |
£6.40 (¥56.97) |
-53.2 % |
| Broadband Internet (Unlimited Data, 60 Mbps or Higher) |
£32.04 (¥285.27) |
£8.19 (¥72.93) |
-74.4 % |
Sports And Leisure | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| Monthly Fitness Club Membership |
£34.60 (¥308.12) |
£30.24 (¥269.26) |
-12.6 % |
| Tennis Court Rental (1 Hour, Weekend) |
£13.57 (¥120.80) |
£10.92 (¥97.21) |
-19.5 % |
| Cinema Ticket (International Release) |
£10.35 (¥92.16) |
£5.05 (¥45.00) |
-51.2 % |
Childcare | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| Private Full-Day Preschool or Kindergarten, Monthly Fee per Child |
£1,307.85 (¥11,645.50) |
£343.47 (¥3,058.32) |
-73.7 % |
| International Primary School, Annual Tuition per Child |
£17,015.95 (¥151,514.72) |
£14,856.80 (¥132,289.02) |
-12.7 % |
Clothing And Shoes | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| Jeans (Levi's 501 or Similar) |
£68.48 (¥609.79) |
£34.24 (¥304.85) |
-50.0 % |
| Summer Dress in a Chain Store (e.g. Zara or H&M) |
£34.59 (¥308.00) |
£26.88 (¥239.38) |
-22.3 % |
| Nike Running Shoes (Mid-Range) |
£77.11 (¥686.60) |
£57.71 (¥513.87) |
-25.2 % |
| Men's Leather Business Shoes |
£75.81 (¥675.03) |
£59.58 (¥530.53) |
-21.4 % |
Rent Per Month | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre |
£1,005.01 (¥8,948.86) |
£293.21 (¥2,610.81) |
-70.8 % |
| 1 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre |
£816.96 (¥7,274.41) |
£177.01 (¥1,576.13) |
-78.3 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment in City Centre |
£1,641.25 (¥14,614.17) |
£625.43 (¥5,569.00) |
-61.9 % |
| 3 Bedroom Apartment Outside of City Centre |
£1,309.45 (¥11,659.73) |
£345.89 (¥3,079.94) |
-73.6 % |
Buy Apartment Price | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment in City Centre |
£392.13 (¥3,491.65) |
£323.61 (¥2,881.49) |
-17.5 % |
| Price per Square Feet to Buy Apartment Outside of Centre |
£305.30 (¥2,718.48) |
£162.10 (¥1,443.41) |
-46.9 % |
Salaries And Financing | United Kingdom Edit |
China Edit | |
| Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax) |
£2,507.21 (¥22,324.93) |
£809.13 (¥7,204.67) |
-67.7 % |
| Annual Mortgage Interest Rate (20-Year Fixed, in %) | 5.32 | 3.46 | -35.0 % |
| Last update: | 19 October 2026 | 18 October 2026 | |
| Contributors in the past 12 months: | 2336 | 1106 | |
Moving to China? Explore:
Other comparisons United Kingdom vs China: