Moving to Canada from China
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from China to Canada — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from China to Canada, you would find that Canada is 2.7 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly CA$217,253 in Canada to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English and French. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Ottawa averages 52°F vs 64°F in Beijing, making it significantly cooler.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from China to Canada.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → CA$217,253
To maintain the same standard of living in Canada
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 4.5 times more
Groceries
pay 2.3 times more
Transportation
pay 2.4 times more
Housing
pay 4.5 times more
Childcare
pay 31.2% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.6 times 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 Canada cost about 88% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from China to Canada, based on official data.
Who's moving to Canada?
Top countries of origin for Canada's foreign-born residents.
- 720,083
-
2.699,190
China
- 633,547
- 537,504
- 273,226
- 254,831
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from China to Canada.
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 Canada 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 Canada leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
China generally does better on environment, though Canada leads in air pollution deaths.
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
Canada performs significantly 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
the highest marginal rate on personal income
share of people below the poverty line
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Canada leads in gdp per capita.
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
Canada performs significantly better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: State Administration of Taxation, 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 | Beijing | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 27°/10°F (-3°/-12°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 64°/45°F (18°/7°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 75°/55°F (24°/13°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 41°/25°F (5°/-4°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Ottawa |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 21°/4°F (-6.1°/-15.3°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 25°/8°F (-4.1°/-13.3°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 36°/19°F (2.2°/-7.1°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.6°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 66°/46°F (19.1°/7.7°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 75°/55°F (23.8°/12.7°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 80°/60°F (26.5°/15.4°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 77°/57°F (24.9°/14.1°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 67°/48°F (19.5°/9.1°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 54°/37°F (12.5°/3.0°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 41°/27°F (4.8°/-2.8°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 27°/12°F (-3.0°/-11.1°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Meteorological Service of Canada
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Canada. To live, work, or study long-term in Canada, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Canada's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting Canada
Visa Required
Canada passport holder visiting China
Visa FreeData: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it cheaper to live in Canada than China?
No — Canada is on average about 104% more expensive than China. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Canada?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CA$54,313 in Canada on a CN¥508,312 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Canada?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Canada has 42.6 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people. The real questions are legal: digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
Is Canada safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Canada leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Canada is 2.3 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 88% of people in Canada feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Canada compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Canada leads in health coverage index. There are 25.0 doctors per 10,000 people in Canada, compared to 25.2 in China. Canada scores 91 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Canada compared to China?
The average high temperature in Ottawa is 52°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Ottawa receives around 37.1 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Canada?
The official languages in Canada are English and French. In China, the official language is Chinese.
