Moving to China from California
What to Expect
Considering a move from California to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from California to China, you would find that China is 59.0% cheaper than California. A $75,000 salary in California would need to be roughly CN¥200,238 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 74°F in Sacramento, making it significantly cooler.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between California and China.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CN¥200,238
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 79.1% less
Groceries
pay 52.5% less
Transportation
pay 48.7% less
Housing
pay 84.3% less
Childcare
pay 62.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 60.8% less
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 65% less than cities in California.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to China
We've teamed up with a vetted network of international movers to help MyLifeElsewhere readers plan their move with confidence. Tell us about your move and get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes in under 2 minutes.
- ✅ Up to 5 quotes from screened movers
- ✅ Licensed and insured providers only
- ✅ 100% free — you choose who contacts you
Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from California to China.
Who's moving to China?
Top countries of origin for China's foreign-born residents.
- 303,095
- 209,555
- 144,831
- 57,602
- 56,657
- 30,811
- · · ·
-
7.20,762
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to California.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
China performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
California performs better than China across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though California leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
California performs better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Sacramento | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 60°/41°F (15°/5°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/51°F (26°/11°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 90°/57°F (32°/14°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/44°F (18°/7°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Sacramento | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 54°/39°F (12.1°/3.8°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 60°/41°F (15.7°/5.2°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 65°/44°F (18.4°/6.7°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 71°/46°F (21.7°/7.9°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.6°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 87°/56°F (30.6°/13.2°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 92°/58°F (33.4°/14.7°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 91°/58°F (32.9°/14.4°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 87°/56°F (30.7°/13.2°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 78°/50°F (25.3°/10.1°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 64°/43°F (17.7°/6.0°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 54°/38°F (12.2°/3.6°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China passport holder visiting United States
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 California?
On average China is about 61% less expensive than California, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥50,060 for 3 months in China (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
From major China cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in California and China are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in China compared to California?
China performs significantly better than California across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in China compared to California?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 74°F in Sacramento. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Sacramento gets 18.5 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In California, the official language is English.
