Moving to Minnesota from China
What to Expect
A comprehensive look at what changes when you move from China to Minnesota — from daily expenses to quality of life.
If you moved from China to Minnesota, you would find that Minnesota is 2.6 times more expensive than China overall. A CN¥500,000 salary in China would need to be roughly $198,000 in Minnesota to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in English. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Minneapolis averages 55°F vs 68°F in Shanghai, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is Minnesota cheaper than China?
The biggest cost differences at a glance
Restaurants
pay 4.3 times more
Groceries
pay 2.1 times more
Transportation
pay 71.1% more
Housing
pay 4.1 times more
Childcare
pay 60.9% 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.
What salary do you need in Minnesota?
What does your salary buy?
CN¥500,000 → $198,000
To maintain the same standard of living in Minnesota
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 Minnesota cost about 99% 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 Minnesota, 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 Minnesota stack up on safety, healthcare, jobs, and infrastructure.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
China performs better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
China performs better than Minnesota 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
Minnesota generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Minnesota performs significantly better than China 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 Minnesota vs China
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Shanghai | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) | 31°/15°F (0°/-10°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) | 69°/48°F (20°/9°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) | 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) | 42°/26°F (6°/-3°C) |
View all months
| Month | Shanghai | Minneapolis |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) | 24°/8°F (-4.6°/-13.6°C) |
| Feb | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) | 29°/13°F (-1.7°/-10.7°C) |
| Mar | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) | 41°/24°F (5.2°/-4.3°C) |
| Apr | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) | 58°/37°F (14.3°/2.9°C) |
| May | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) | 69°/49°F (20.8°/9.4°C) |
| Jun | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) | 79°/59°F (26.0°/14.9°C) |
| Jul | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) | 83°/64°F (28.6°/17.8°C) |
| Aug | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) | 80°/62°F (26.9°/16.6°C) |
| Sep | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) | 72°/52°F (22.1°/11.3°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) | 58°/40°F (14.4°/4.3°C) |
| Nov | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) |
| Dec | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) | 27°/12°F (-2.7°/-10.9°C) |
Data:
China Meteorological Administration,
National Weather Service
Can you move from China to Minnesota?
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 Minnesota than China?
Day-to-day costs in Minnesota run about 163% higher than China on average; specific cities can swing further.
How much money do I need to move to Minnesota?
A safe rule of thumb is 3 months of local expenses plus relocation costs. On a CN¥500,000 comparable salary, that's around $49,500 in Minnesota for everyday spending, before flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from Minnesota?
Working remotely from Minnesota's major cities is generally feasible. The legal layer matters more — visa category, employer policy on overseas employees, and tax residency in China and Minnesota.
How is healthcare in Minnesota compared to China?
China performs better than Minnesota across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in Minnesota compared to China?
The average high temperature in Minneapolis is 55°F, compared to 68°F in Shanghai. Minneapolis receives around 30.6 in of rainfall per year, while Shanghai gets 43.8 in.
What language do they speak in Minnesota?
The official language in Minnesota is English. In China, the official language is Chinese.
