China
Compared with Costa Rica, using real observed prices.
Baseline: 
Costa Rica = 1×
China
vs
Costa Rica
Overall verdict
China is about 0.57× Costa Rica.
Average across 3 categories, 7 items with data
The shape of prices (vs Costa Rica = 1×)
How to read this
The centre line is Costa Rica. A bar running right means China is pricier; running left means cheaper. The thin bar behind shows the range from the cheapest to the priciest item in that category.
← Cheaper than Costa Rica
Costa Rica = 1×
China is pricier →
Costa Rica
Costa Rica = 1×
China is pricier →
Thin bar shows the range (cheapest to priciest item in the category)
In China, Gasoline 1L costs 0.7× what it does in Costa Rica — but Electricity 1kWh (household) costs only 0.4×. What is expensive here is energy, not the goods that carry a world price.
Real prices. Real sources. Real dates.
-
Gasoline 1L 1 L ×0.71China
CRC 583.61
USD 1.179Costa Rica
CRC 825.66
USD 1.668
-
Diesel 1L 1 L ×0.69China
CRC 517.28
USD 1.045Costa Rica
CRC 745.96
USD 1.507
-
Big Mac 1 burger ×0.61China
CRC 1,813
CNY 25.5Costa Rica
CRC 2,990
CRC 2,990
-
Electricity 1kWh (household) 1 kWh ×0.45China
CRC 37.62
USD 0.076Costa Rica
CRC 84.15
USD 0.17
See what really changed
Big Mac, 2021 → 2026At the timeUsing the exchange rate of each date
+14%
in CNY
22.4 → 25.5
22.4 → 25.5
vs
At today's rateUsing today's exchange rate
-15%
in CRC
It rose 14% in local currency, but -15% in yours. Most of what you feel is the exchange rate, not China's inflation.
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