Moving to Italy from China
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from China to Italy — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from China to Italy, you would find that Italy is 2.5 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥508,312 salary in China would need to be roughly €126,690 in Italy to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Catalan and Italian.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from China to Italy.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,312 → €126,690
To maintain the same standard of living in Italy
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 5.0 times more
Groceries
pay 2.0 times more
Transportation
pay 2.8 times more
Housing
pay 3.1 times more
Childcare
pay 1.6% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 2.3 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 Italy cost about 83% 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 Italy, based on official data.
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from China to Italy.
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 Italy 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
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China 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
Italy 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 Italy 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 Italy 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
Italy 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 | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Rome |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Italy. To live, work, or study long-term in Italy, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Italy's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting Italy
Visa Required
Italy 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 Italy than China?
No — Italy is on average about 93% more expensive than China. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Italy?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly €31,672 in Italy 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 Italy?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Italy has 31.5 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 Italy safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Italy leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in Italy is 0.6 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 61% of people in Italy feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Italy compared to China?
Italy generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 42.5 doctors per 10,000 people in Italy, compared to 25.2 in China. Italy scores 84 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Italy compared to China?
The average high temperature in Rome is 69°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Rome receives around 31.7 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Italy?
The official languages in Italy are Catalan and Italian. In China, the official language is Chinese.
