Moving to China from Italy
What to Expect
Considering a move from Italy to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Italy to China, you would find that China is 52.9% cheaper than Italy overall. A €67,000 salary in Italy would need to be roughly CN¥236,000 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 Italy?
How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 76.2% less
Groceries
pay 45.3% less
Transportation
pay 50.0% less
Housing
pay 61.1% less
Childcare
pay 28.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 39.6% 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?
€67,000 → CN¥236,000
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 47% less than cities in Italy.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to Italy.
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 Italy 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
Italy 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
Italy 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 Italy leads in water stress level.
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
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Italy 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
Italy performs better than China across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2019–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2016–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Italian Revenue Agency (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in China vs Italy
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Rome | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 56°/39°F (13°/4°C) | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 72°/53°F (22°/11°C) | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/63°F (29°/17°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 62°/45°F (17°/7°C) | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Rome | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.1°C) | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 55°/38°F (13.0°/3.5°C) | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) |
| Mar | 59°/41°F (15.2°/5.2°C) | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.7°/7.5°C) | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) |
| May | 73°/53°F (22.8°/11.6°C) | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) |
| Jun | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.3°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) |
| Jul | 87°/64°F (30.3°/18.0°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) |
| Aug | 87°/65°F (30.6°/18.3°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) |
| Sep | 80°/59°F (26.5°/15.2°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
| Oct | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.3°C) | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) |
| Nov | 61°/44°F (15.9°/6.9°C) | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) |
| Dec | 55°/40°F (12.6°/4.2°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) |
Data:
Italian Air Force- Department of Meteorology,
China Meteorological Administration
Can you move from Italy to China?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Italy 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.
Italy passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting Italy
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 Italy?
On average China is about 53% less expensive than Italy, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥59,000 for 3 months in China (based on a €67,000 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 Italy leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.6 in Italy. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to Italy?
Italy 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 41.9 in Italy. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Italy: 84).
What's the weather like in China compared to Italy?
The average high temperature in Shanghai is 68°F, compared to 69°F in Rome. Shanghai receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Rome gets 31.7 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Italy, the official languages are Catalan and Italian.
