Moving to China from India
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from India to China — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from India to China, you would find that China is 2.1 times more expensive than India overall. A ₹7,100,000 salary in India would need to be roughly CN¥1,070,000 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. You’ll also switch from driving on the left to the right. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Shanghai averages 68°F vs 88°F in Delhi, making it significantly cooler.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is China cheaper than India?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 44.4% more
Groceries
pay 2.0 times more
Transportation
pay 54.1% more
Housing
pay 2.4 times more
Childcare
pay 10.8 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 59.2% 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 China?
What does your salary buy?
₹7,100,000 → CN¥1,070,000
To maintain the same standard of living in China
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 China cost about 68% more than cities in India.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to China
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from India to China, based on official data.
Who's moving to China?
Top countries of origin for China's foreign-born residents.
- 303,095
- 209,555
- 144,831
- 57,602
- 56,657
- 30,811
- · · ·
-
12.6,953
India
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from India to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
India generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate.
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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India 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
India generally does better on environment, though China leads in air pollution deaths.
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 performs significantly better than India across all infrastructure metrics.
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
India generally does better on employment & economy, though China 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
China generally does better on family life, though India leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Ministry of Finance, Government of India (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016), The World Factbook (2011). How we calculate this
Weather in China vs India
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Delhi | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 76°/52°F (25°/11°C) | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 101°/78°F (38°/25°C) | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 93°/79°F (34°/26°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 82°/56°F (28°/14°C) | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Delhi | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 69°/46°F (20.8°/7.8°C) | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 75°/51°F (23.7°/10.3°C) | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) |
| Mar | 85°/60°F (29.6°/15.4°C) | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 97°/71°F (36.0°/21.5°C) | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) |
| May | 104°/79°F (39.8°/26.2°C) | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) |
| Jun | 103°/83°F (39.4°/28.3°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) |
| Jul | 95°/81°F (35.2°/27.0°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) |
| Aug | 92°/79°F (33.6°/26.2°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) |
| Sep | 93°/76°F (34.0°/24.7°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
| Oct | 91°/67°F (32.9°/19.4°C) | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) |
| Nov | 82°/55°F (28.0°/12.8°C) | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) |
| Dec | 73°/47°F (22.7°/8.4°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) |
Data:
India Meteorological Department,
China Meteorological Administration
Can you move from India to China?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between India 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.
India passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China passport holder visiting India
Visa Online (e-Visa)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 India?
No — China is on average about 114% more expensive than India. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CN¥267,500 in China on a ₹7,100,000 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?
India 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 2.8 in India.
How is healthcare in China compared to India?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though India leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 7.2 in India. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (India: 63).
What's the weather like in China compared to India?
The average high temperature in Shanghai is 68°F, compared to 88°F in Delhi. Shanghai receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Delhi gets 28.2 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In India, the official languages are English, Hindi and Tamil.
