Moving to Louisiana from China

moving to

What to Expect

Everything you need to know before relocating from China to Louisiana — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.

If you moved from China to Louisiana, you would find that Louisiana is 2.5 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly $190,000 in Louisiana to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — New Orleans averages 77°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 Louisiana cheaper than China?

Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day

Restaurants

pay 4.2 times more

Groceries

pay 2.1 times more

Transportation

pay 52.2% more

Housing

pay 4.1 times more

Childcare

pay 31.4% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 98.1% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 CNY = 0.1502 USD (November 2026)

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 Louisiana?

What does your salary buy?

CN¥500,000 → $190,000

To maintain the same standard of living in Louisiana

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 Louisiana cost about 102% more than cities in China.

China

Shanghai 36%
Changchun 35%
Shenzhen 34%
Guangzhou 32%

Louisiana

Lafayette 63%

Compare cities head-to-head

Get free moving quotes to Louisiana

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Who Else Is Making This Move?

How many people actually move from China to Louisiana, based on official data.

Moved in 2023
57,240 ↓ 16% vs 2022

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.

Foreign-born population · UN DESA (2020)

Key Indicator Comparison

Key indicators for anyone considering a move from China to Louisiana.

How's the healthcare?

Adult obesity rate World Health Organization, 2024

share of adults with obesity

CN
9.3%
LA
40.6%

China performs better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Internet access World Bank, 2025

share of households with internet

CN
91.6%
LA
84.9%

China performs better than Louisiana across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

CN
4.6%
LA
3.9%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

CN
$13,862
LA
$55,662

Louisiana generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in poverty rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

CN
78.0 yrs
LA
73.1 yrs

China performs better than Louisiana across all family life metrics.

Weather in Louisiana vs China

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Shanghai Rain: 43.8 in/yr (1112 mm)
68° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

New Orleans Rain: 56.8 in/yr (1442 mm)
77° / 64°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Shanghai New Orleans
Jan–Mar 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) 65°/51°F (18°/10°C)
Apr–Jun 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) 84°/70°F (29°/21°C)
Jul–Sep 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) 89°/77°F (32°/25°C)
Oct–Dec 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) 71°/57°F (21°/14°C)
View all months
Month Shanghai New Orleans
Jan 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) 60°/46°F (15.6°/8.0°C)
Feb 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) 64°/50°F (17.9°/9.9°C)
Mar 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) 71°/56°F (21.4°/13.3°C)
Apr 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) 77°/63°F (25.2°/17.1°C)
May 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) 85°/71°F (29.2°/21.5°C)
Jun 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) 89°/76°F (31.8°/24.4°C)
Jul 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) 90°/78°F (32.5°/25.5°C)
Aug 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) 91°/78°F (32.7°/25.7°C)
Sep 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) 87°/75°F (30.4°/23.7°C)
Oct 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) 79°/66°F (25.9°/18.9°C)
Nov 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) 71°/57°F (21.5°/13.7°C)
Dec 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.3°C)

Data: China Meteorological Administration China Meteorological Administration, National Weather Service National Weather Service

Can you move from China to Louisiana?

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

China passport holder visiting United States

Visa Required
China passport holders need a visa to enter United States.
United States passport

United States passport holder visiting China

Visa Required
United States passport holders need a visa to enter China.

Data: Henley Passport Index. Check with the destination country's embassy for the most current requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it cheaper to live in Louisiana than China?

No — Louisiana is on average about 153% more expensive than China. City-level variation matters.

How much money do I need to move to Louisiana?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly $47,500 in Louisiana on a CN¥500,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from Louisiana?

Usually fine from major cities in Louisiana. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.

How is healthcare in Louisiana compared to China?

China performs better than Louisiana across all health & wellbeing metrics.

What's the weather like in Louisiana compared to China?

The average high temperature in New Orleans is 77°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. New Orleans receives around 56.8 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.

What language do they speak in Louisiana?

The official language in Louisiana is English. In China, the official language is Chinese.

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At a Glance

CN
Population 1,406,585,000 4,618,189
Currency Chinese Yuan (CN¥) United States Dollar ($)
Languages Chinese English
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +86 +1
Time zones 1 11
Emergency number 110 911