Moving to Indiana from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Indiana — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Indiana, you would find that Indiana is 2.4 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly $183,000 in Indiana to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Indiana cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 3.8 times more
Groceries
pay 91.0% more
Transportation
pay 45.9% more
Housing
pay 4.1 times more
Childcare
pay 50.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 82.7% 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.
What salary do you need in Indiana?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → $183,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Indiana
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 Indiana cost about 84% more than cities in China.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
Real numbers on people moving from China to Indiana, and how the trend has changed.
people moved from China to United States · OECD (latest data available)
Who's moving to United States?
Top countries of origin for United States's foreign-born residents.
- 10,853,105
- 2,723,764
-
3.2,184,110
China
- 2,061,178
- 1,829,251
- 1,410,659
Key Indicator Comparison
How China and Indiana stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
China performs better than Indiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
China performs better than Indiana 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
Indiana generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
China performs better than Indiana across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), World Health Organization (2024), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in Indiana vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/12°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 51°/35°F (11°/2°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Indianapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 35°/21°F (1.7°/-6.1°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 40°/24°F (4.4°/-4.4°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 51°/33°F (10.8°/0.8°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.4°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 72°/53°F (22.5°/11.7°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 84°/67°F (28.8°/19.2°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 77°/57°F (25.1°/13.9°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 64°/45°F (18.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 52°/36°F (11.0°/2.3°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 38°/25°F (3.6°/-3.9°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
National Weather Service
Can you move from China to Indiana?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and United States. To live, work, or study long-term in United States, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check United States's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting United States
Visa Required
United States 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 Indiana than China?
Day-to-day costs in Indiana run about 144% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Indiana?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around $45,750 in Indiana for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Indiana?
Working remotely from Indiana's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in China and Indiana.
How is healthcare in Indiana compared to China?
China performs better than Indiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Indiana compared to China?
The average high temperature in Indianapolis is 62°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Indianapolis receives around 40.8 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Indiana?
The official language in Indiana is English. In China, the official language is Chinese.
