Moving to China from Brazil
What to Expect
Considering a move from Brazil to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Brazil to China, you would find that China is 0.9% more expensive than Brazil overall. A R$384,308 salary in Brazil would need to be roughly CN¥510,095 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Beijing averages 64°F vs 80°F in Brasilia, making it significantly cooler.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Brazil and China.
What does your salary buy?
R$384,308 → CN¥510,095
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 47.2% less
Groceries
pay 0.3% less
Transportation
pay 28.4% less
Housing
pay 18.3% less
Childcare
pay 82.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 26.3% more
Data: MyLifeElsewhere's crowdsourced cost of living database, with prices submitted and updated by users worldwide. Exchange rates are refreshed regularly from public sources.
Cost of living by city
Cost of living varies a lot by city. Each figure is a city's overall cost of living as a percentage of New York City (the priciest, = 100%).
On average, cities in China cost about 3% more than cities in Brazil.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Brazil to China.
Who's moving to China?
Top countries of origin for China's foreign-born residents.
- 303,095
- 209,555
- 144,831
-
4.57,602
Brazil
- 56,657
- 30,811
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to Brazil.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Brazil leads in road traffic deaths.
How's the healthcare?
annual government + private spending per person
affects wait times and access to care
WHO index from 0–100 measuring essential service access
share of adults with obesity
per 100,000 people — a proxy for mental health support
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brazil leads in suicide rate.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Brazil performs better than China across all environment metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work
higher means greater strain on freshwater supply
annual consumption — reflects grid capacity
share of households with internet
Brazil generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Brazil leads in top income tax rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better
government spending on education as % of GDP
percentage of adults who can read and write
China generally does better on family life, though Brazil leads in education spending.
Data: Secretaria da Receita Federal do Brasil, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Brasilia | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 80°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 80°/58°F (27°/14°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 80°/64°F (27°/17°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Brasilia | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 80°/63°F (26.9°/17.4°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 80°/63°F (26.7°/17.4°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 81°/64°F (27.1°/17.5°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 78°/59°F (25.7°/15.0°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 77°/56°F (25.2°/13.3°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 77°/55°F (25.1°/12.9°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 81°/58°F (27.3°/14.6°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 83°/61°F (28.3°/16.0°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 82°/63°F (27.5°/17.4°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 80°/64°F (26.6°/17.5°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.5°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Brazil and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.
Brazil passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting Brazil
Visa RequiredData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in China than Brazil?
China and Brazil are within a few percent on overall cost, though specific items in specific cities can swing either way.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥127,524 for 3 months in China (based on a R$384,308 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
Connectivity is usually fine (China: 41.4 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does China offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is China safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Brazil leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 20.6 in Brazil. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to Brazil?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Brazil leads in suicide rate. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 21.4 in Brazil. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Brazil: 80).
What's the weather like in China compared to Brazil?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 80°F in Brasilia. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Brasilia gets 61.1 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Brazil, the official language is Portuguese.
