Moving to Greece from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Greece — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Greece, you would find that Greece is 78.0% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly €119,000 in Greece to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Greek.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓How Far Will Your Money Go?
How your spending power changes when you relocate from China to Greece.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → €119,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Greece
Calculate with your salary →The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.4 times more
Groceries
pay 41.5% more
Transportation
pay 84.8% more
Housing
pay 2.1 times more
Childcare
pay 45.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 67.8% 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 Greece cost about 42% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to Greece
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?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Greece, and how the trend has changed.
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Greece stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Greece 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 Greece leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Greece performs significantly 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
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Greece leads in water stress level.
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 Greece 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Greece generally does better on family life, though China leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), GSIS, Greece (2016), The World Factbook (2018). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Beijing | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 57°/42°F (14°/6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 78°/57°F (26°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 90°/67°F (32°/20°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 65°/50°F (18°/10°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Athens |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 54°/41°F (12.5°/5.2°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 56°/42°F (13.5°/5.4°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 60°/44°F (15.7°/6.7°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.6°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 79°/57°F (26.0°/13.9°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 88°/65°F (31.1°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 92°/69°F (33.5°/20.8°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 92°/69°F (33.2°/20.7°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 85°/63°F (29.2°/17.3°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 74°/56°F (23.3°/13.4°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 65°/50°F (18.1°/9.8°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 57°/44°F (14.1°/6.8°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Hellenic National Meteorological Service
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Greece. To live, work, or study long-term in Greece, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Greece's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting Greece
Visa Required
Greece 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 Greece than China?
Day-to-day costs in Greece run about 78% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Greece?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around €29,750 in Greece for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Greece?
With 44.7 fixed broadband subscriptions per 100 people, Greece can support video calls in major cities. The hard part is paperwork — visa category, employer policy on overseas staff, and tax residency in China and Greece.
Is Greece safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Greece leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Greece is 0.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in Greece compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Greece leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 65.8 doctors per 10,000 people in Greece, compared to 31.1 in China. Greece scores 77 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Greece compared to China?
The average high temperature in Athens is 72°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Athens receives around 16.3 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Greece?
The official language in Greece is Greek. In China, the official language is Chinese.
