Moving to China from Hungary

moving to

What to Expect

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

If you moved from Hungary to China, you would find that China is 35.6% cheaper than Hungary overall. A HUF24,000,000 salary in Hungary would need to be roughly CN¥318,000 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.

Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓

How Far Will Your Money Go?

What to expect for your wallet after moving from Hungary to China.

What does your salary buy?

HUF24,000,000 → CN¥318,000

To maintain the same standard of living in China

Calculate with your salary →

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

Restaurants

pay 64.1% less

Groceries

pay 24.8% less

Transportation

pay 35.1% less

Housing

pay 44.9% less

Childcare

pay 86.7% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 23.8% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 HUF = 0.0205 CNY (October 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.

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 China cost about 28% less than cities in Hungary.

Hungary

China

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

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

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

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

HU
0.7
CN
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

HU
7.4
CN
17.4

Hungary generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

HU
$2,875
CN
$1,487
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

HU
34.6
CN
31.1

China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

HU
42.0
CN
64.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

HU
4.5t
CN
9.3t

Hungary performs better than China across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

HU
37.5
CN
47.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

HU
8.1%
CN
41.5%

Hungary generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

HU
4.5%
CN
4.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

HU
$25,907
CN
$13,862

Hungary 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

HU
76.7 yrs
CN
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

HU
3.1
CN
4.1

Hungary generally does better on family life, though China leads in life expectancy.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax and Customs Administration of Hungary (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Budapest Rain: 21.0 in/yr (534 mm)
60° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Beijing Rain: 22.8 in/yr (578 mm)
64° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Budapest Beijing
Jan–Mar 43°/31°F (6°/-1°C) 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) 78°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 78°/59°F (26°/15°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 49°/37°F (9°/3°C) 51°/32°F (11°/0°C)
View all months
Month Budapest Beijing
Jan 37°/27°F (2.6°/-3.0°C) 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C)
Feb 41°/29°F (5.1°/-1.8°C) 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C)
Mar 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.0°C) 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C)
Apr 63°/44°F (17.1°/6.8°C) 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C)
May 72°/53°F (22.4°/11.5°C) 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C)
Jun 78°/58°F (25.3°/14.4°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C)
Jul 82°/62°F (27.9°/16.4°C) 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C)
Aug 81°/61°F (27.4°/16.0°C) 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C)
Sep 72°/53°F (22.1°/11.8°C) 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C)
Oct 61°/45°F (16.1°/7.0°C) 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C)
Nov 47°/36°F (8.5°/2.3°C) 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C)
Dec 38°/29°F (3.2°/-1.7°C) 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C)

Data: Hungarian Meteorological Service Hungarian Meteorological Service, China Meteorological Administration China Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Hungary and China. To live, work, or study long-term in China, you'll need a separate residence or work visa — check China's immigration authority.

Hungary passport

Hungary passport holder visiting China

Visa Free
Hungary passport holders can enter China without a visa.
China passport

China passport holder visiting Hungary

Visa Required
China passport holders need a visa to enter Hungary.

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 China than Hungary?

Yes — China is on average about 36% cheaper than Hungary. City-level variation can be significant.

How much money do I need to move to China?

Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CN¥79,500 in China on a HUF24,000,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).

Can I work remotely from China?

Internet is rarely the blocker — China has 47.2 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 China safe for expats?

Hungary generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.7 in Hungary.

How is healthcare in China compared to Hungary?

China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Hungary leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 34.6 in Hungary. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Hungary: 79).

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

The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 60°F in Budapest. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Budapest gets 21.0 in.

What language do they speak in China?

The official language in China is Chinese. In Hungary, the official language is Hungarian.

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At a Glance

HU CN
Population 9,514,251 1,406,585,000
Currency Hungarian Forint (HUF) Chinese Yuan (CN¥)
Languages Hungarian Chinese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +36 +86
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 112 110