Cost of Living: China vs. the United States
Recently many commodity prices have reached a record high degree in China; the inflation has reached unbearable level. We take a look at prices of the USA and China and let us see which nation’s goods are cheaper.
Recently, a post goes viral online among Chinese netizens, it says that according to the purchasing power, the living cost of China has exceeded that of the United States.
In order to objectively and fairly examine if China’s prices are higher or lower than the USA, the author investigated commodity prices and family food expenditures with an American friend.
In 2010, American’s average annual income is USD36,300 and Chinese USD4,700 , the United States is almost 8 times of China.
In order to have a clear comparison, here we suppose Chinese can earn the same income with Americans -8,000 a month, let us make a comparison.
In the United States Mercedes-Benz E-320 costs $50000, the equivalent of six months wages.
In China Mercedes-Benz E-RMB320, 980000, equivalent to 10 years wages for Chinese.
A pair of Italian shoes in the United Statesis about $50, In China is 500.
A three-bedroom rent in the United States, about 1,000.
A three-bedroom rent in China, about 2000
McDonald’s Big Mac: In the United States , $4. In China, RMB20.
A good set of suits: In the United States about $500 or so.
In China, RMB2000 is not enough.
In the United States an Apple G5 computer is $1500.
In China at least RMB30,000.
In the United States 500Kg of lean pork, $3.
In China the same thing costs RMB20.
In the United States a big birthday cake, $20.
In China a large birthday cake RMB200.
In the United States a box of Haagen-Dazs: $3
In China a box of Haagen-Dazs: RMB60
In the United States Holiday Inn (four-star hotel): $70 or $80
In China, Holiday Inn: RMB800
In the United States a tank of gas: $30 is sufficient.
In China to fill a tank of gas: RMB300
250 square meters house in the United States: almost $500,000.
250 square meters in China: about RMB5 million.
In the United States for basically you can call as much as you can with $50 per month.
In China you can do the same thing with as much as RMB5000.
Watching a new popular movie in the United States children: $8
Movie in China: RMB80
Buy a cashmere sweater in the United States: almost $ 100.
Buy a cashmere sweater in China: almost 1,000 yuan.
whites are filthy monkeys
stop criticizing the guy and face the truth! it is going to be a very hard life in China if the Chinese government keep undervalue the RMB, most people are gonna live in poverty and that is a fact.
Writer of this article apparently has never really been to the USA if they think those prices are correct.
Also, if you’re going to do a comparison keep the metric the same FFS.
Your prices for USA is way to low. And the picture you show for the hotel…wtf. You haven’t been to the usa…80 dollars gets you a motel…fucking cheap place in america.
3 bedroom house for 1000…where and in what small ass down, and the price of a house, that is too low.
your metric are off. And a birthday day is not 20 bucks.
you also Fastfood in the usa cost about 6 dollars for a meal.
What is your political motive?
shut your face Meigouren, these prices are correct, I just came back from 2 weeks Las Vegas trip, I stayed at MGM Grand Hotel (4.5 stars), Golden Nugget (4 stars) etc. MGM was $40 (low season) per night for me, and Golden Nugget was $60 per night, these are luxury suites.
as for fast food, these prices are also correct, in las vegas In&Out Burgers I can get a burger easily for 2.99, 3.99 here. whats your problem?
3 bedroom house for 1000? sounds about right to me, I was renting a house stay for $600 per month back in Toronto, Canada.
so fuck off please, you need you learn how to spend your money wisely, no wonder all you fat american fuckers are bankrupt these days.
You obviously didn’t ACTUALLY read this article.
The house is listed at $500,000 not $1000. Yes you can get a room in a holiday inn for around $70 – $80 a night, I’ve done it myself.
The article also said a birthday CAKE not a birthday costs around $20 and a BIG MAC not a meal was around $4, all of which is 100% accurate.
What is your political motive?
It would be easier to compare if you had also changed the price for the same products in China into USD, or presented the average wage in RMB instead… Also, you should note that almost all the products you presented were not local products. Obviously, western products will cost more than local products. In addition, one should take in account the fact that you are using an average salary, but not the fact that the average Chinese family will live off all these Western products. If you take a look at the local equivalents of these products, the costs are much lower.
Yes I agree. It would be better if the price is changed from RMB to USD for us to easily compare and not do the conversion.. But this is a great blog.. I commend you for doing such an extensive research.
This is the very reason I’m going back to USA at the end of the year. cannot handle this country anymore.
The average annual income is USD36,300 for American and USD4,700 for Chinese, the United States is almost 8 times of China.
Interesting comparison, would be more useful to see each cost expressed in both USD and RMB
And to include median monthly or annual salary
If income is $36k in US and $4.7k in China it is stupid to compare $8k per month or $96k per year income in both countries.
The average Chinese can live on $4.7K
$4,700/52= $90 a week/50hr=$1.80per hour.
The norm of transportation in China is by foot and bike. Figuring how a average Chinese person could buy a Mercedes is like a average US person buying a three million dollar Yacht.
Free trade with China means we will eventually have zero manufacturing jobs in the US and eventually have to give US states to China to pay our debt.
Adding a 7% or 9% duty would even the imbalance and provide a fair chance to have manufacturing in the US.
Eh..As a Chinese, i want to say the norm of transportation in China is drive the car and taxi or bus, some people will walk but no one like to ride bike, I mean, most people don’t ride bike