Moving to India from China
What to Expect
Considering a move from China to India? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from China to India, you would find that India is 53.2% cheaper than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly ₹3,320,000 in India to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English, Hindi and Tamil. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Delhi averages 88°F vs 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly warmer.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is India cheaper than China?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 30.7% less
Groceries
pay 51.1% less
Transportation
pay 35.1% less
Housing
pay 58.4% less
Childcare
pay 90.7% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 37.2% 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.
What salary do you need in India?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → ₹3,320,000
To maintain the same standard of living in India
Calculate with your salary →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 India cost about 41% less than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from China to India.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in India compared to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though India 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 India leads in healthcare spending per person.
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 India leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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 performs better than India 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 India leads in unemployment 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 India leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), State Administration of Taxation (2016), Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2016), The World Factbook (2011). How we calculate this
Weather in India vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Delhi |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
India Meteorological Department
Can you move from China to India?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and India. To live, work, or study long-term in India, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check India's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)
India passport holder visiting China
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 India than China?
On average India is about 53% less expensive than China, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to India?
Budget about ₹830,000 for 3 months in India (based on a CN¥500,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from India?
Connectivity is usually fine (India: 3.1 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does India offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is India safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though India leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in India is 2.8 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China.
How is healthcare in India compared to China?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 7.2 doctors per 10,000 people in India, compared to 31.1 in China. India scores 63 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in India compared to China?
The average high temperature in Delhi is 88°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Delhi receives around 28.2 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in India?
The official languages in India are English, Hindi and Tamil. In China, the official language is Chinese.
