Moving to China from Japan
What to Expect
Considering a move from Japan to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Japan to China, you would find that China is 36.5% cheaper than Japan overall. A ¥12,000,000 salary in Japan would need to be roughly CN¥322,000 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.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Japan and China.
What does your salary buy?
¥12,000,000 → CN¥322,000
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 41.3% less
Groceries
pay 43.3% less
Transportation
pay 35.3% less
Housing
pay 45.5% less
Childcare
pay 41.7% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 33.0% 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.
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 20% less than cities in Japan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from Japan to China.
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
- · · ·
-
14.5,292
Japan
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to Japan.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
Japan generally does better on safety, though China leads in feel safe walking at night.
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 Japan leads in health coverage index.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.
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
Japan 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
Japan generally does better on family life, though China leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), National Tax Agency Japan (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016), The World Factbook (2013). How we calculate this
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Tokyo | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 53°/37°F (12°/3°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/58°F (23°/14°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 85°/72°F (30°/22°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 63°/49°F (17°/9°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Tokyo | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°/34°F (9.8°/1.2°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 52°/36°F (10.9°/2.1°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 58°/41°F (14.2°/5.0°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 67°/50°F (19.4°/9.8°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 74°/58°F (23.6°/14.6°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 79°/65°F (26.1°/18.5°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 86°/72°F (29.9°/22.4°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 88°/74°F (31.3°/23.5°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 82°/69°F (27.5°/20.3°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 72°/59°F (22.0°/14.8°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 62°/48°F (16.7°/8.8°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 54°/39°F (12.0°/3.8°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
Japan Meteorological Agency,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Japan 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.
Japan passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting Japan
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 Japan?
On average China is about 36% less expensive than Japan, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥80,500 for 3 months in China (based on a ¥12,000,000 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?
Japan generally does better on safety, though China leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.2 in Japan. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to Japan?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Japan leads in health coverage index. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 26.5 in Japan. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Japan: 83).
What's the weather like in China compared to Japan?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 69°F in Tokyo. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Tokyo gets 62.9 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Japan, the official language is Japanese.
