Moving to Japan from China
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from China to Japan — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from China to Japan, you would find that Japan is 86.2% more expensive than China overall. A CN¥508,140 salary in China would need to be roughly ¥17,357,355 in Japan to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Japanese. You’ll also switch from driving on the right to the left.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from China to Japan.
What does your salary buy?
CN¥508,140 → ¥17,357,355
To maintain the same standard of living in Japan
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 2.1 times more
Groceries
pay 2.2 times more
Transportation
pay 2.9 times more
Housing
pay 2.4 times more
Childcare
pay 19.5% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 65.1% 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 Japan cost about 37% 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 Japan, based on official data.
Who's moving to Japan?
Top countries of origin for Japan's foreign-born residents.
-
1.775,893
China
- 456,203
- 335,668
- 275,252
- 204,814
- 58,340
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from China to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan generally does better on safety, though China leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
Japan 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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.
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 Japan 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though China leads in education spending.
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 | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Beijing | Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) |
| Feb | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) |
| Mar | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) |
| Apr | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) |
| May | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) |
| Jun | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) |
| Jul | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) |
| Aug | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) |
| Sep | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) |
| Oct | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) |
| Nov | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) |
| Dec | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
Japan Meteorological Agency
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between China and Japan. To live, work, or study long-term in Japan, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check Japan's immigration authority.
China passport holder visiting Japan
Visa Required
Japan 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 Japan than China?
No — Japan is on average about 42% more expensive than China. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to Japan?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly ¥4,339,339 in Japan on a CN¥508,140 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from Japan?
Internet is rarely the blocker — Japan has 37.2 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 Japan safe for expats?
Japan generally does better on safety, though China leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in Japan is 0.2 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in China. About 83% of people in Japan feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in Japan compared to China?
Japan generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 26.1 doctors per 10,000 people in Japan, compared to 25.2 in China. Japan scores 83 on the WHO universal health coverage index (China: 81).
What's the weather like in Japan compared to China?
The average high temperature in Tokyo is 69°F, compared to 64°F in Beijing. Tokyo receives around 62.9 in of rainfall per year, while Beijing gets 22.8 in.
What language do they speak in Japan?
The official language in Japan is Japanese. In China, the official language is Chinese.
