Moving to China from Israel
What to Expect
Considering a move from Israel to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Israel to China, you would find that China is 69.8% cheaper than Israel overall. A ₪230,000 salary in Israel would need to be roughly CN¥150,000 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 ↓Is China cheaper than Israel?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 83.3% less
Groceries
pay 52.8% less
Transportation
pay 65.7% less
Housing
pay 79.2% less
Childcare
pay 46.4% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 64.3% less
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?
₪230,000 → CN¥150,000
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 62% less than cities in Israel.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to Israel.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
China generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths.
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
Israel 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
Israel performs 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
China generally does better on infrastructure, though Israel leads in electricity per capita.
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
Israel generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in top income tax 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
Israel performs better than China across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), The World Factbook (2011–2014), Israel Ministry of Finance Tax Authority (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in China vs Israel
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Jerusalem | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 58°/46°F (15°/8°C) | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 78°/60°F (25°/15°C) | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/67°F (29°/20°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 68°/55°F (20°/13°C) | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Jerusalem | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 55°/44°F (12.8°/6.9°C) | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 57°/45°F (13.8°/7.1°C) | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) |
| Mar | 63°/49°F (17.0°/9.2°C) | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 71°/54°F (21.5°/12.1°C) | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) |
| May | 79°/61°F (25.9°/16.0°C) | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) |
| Jun | 83°/65°F (28.4°/18.2°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) |
| Jul | 86°/68°F (30.0°/20.2°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) |
| Aug | 86°/68°F (29.9°/20.0°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) |
| Sep | 83°/66°F (28.4°/18.7°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
| Oct | 78°/62°F (25.3°/16.8°C) | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) |
| Nov | 68°/55°F (19.9°/12.8°C) | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (15.2°/9.0°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) |
Data:
Israel Meteorological Service,
China Meteorological Administration
Can you move from Israel to China?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Israel 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.
Israel passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China passport holder visiting Israel
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 China than Israel?
On average China is about 70% less expensive than Israel, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥37,500 for 3 months in China (based on a ₪230,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
Connectivity is usually fine (China: 47.2 fixed broadband per 100). What actually decides it is legal: does China offer a digital nomad visa, will your employer permit overseas work, and where are you tax-resident?
Is China safe for expats?
China generally does better on safety, though Israel leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.6 in Israel. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to Israel?
Israel generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 38.0 in Israel. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Israel: 85).
What's the weather like in China compared to Israel?
The average high temperature in Shanghai is 68°F, compared to 72°F in Jerusalem. Shanghai receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Jerusalem gets 21.1 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Israel, the official languages are Arabic and Hebrew.
