Psychologists, sociologists, and economists outside China have conducted many researches on the relation of economic status and subjective well-being (SWB) in developing countries. The findings from related researches are as follows: The economic status–SWB relation for developing countries is significantly stronger than that for developed countries. The association is strongest for low-income samples within developing country and weakest for high-income samples. The economic status–SWB relation declines with increases in educational attainment, such that the relation is strongest for the least-educated samples. The constructs used to measure SWB and economic status, as well as the gender distribution of the sample were found to affect the economic status–SWB relation. The results were explained with need theory.