Moving to China from Mexico
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Mexico to China — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Mexico to China, you would find that China is 34.8% cheaper than Mexico overall. A MX$1,400,000 salary in Mexico would need to be roughly CN¥330,000 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 Mexico?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 62.7% less
Groceries
pay 33.6% less
Transportation
pay 29.1% less
Housing
pay 46.0% less
Childcare
pay 2.6 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 16.6% 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?
MX$1,400,000 → CN¥330,000
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 23% less than cities in Mexico.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Mexico to China.
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 Mexico 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
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico 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
Mexico 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 performs significantly better than Mexico 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
Mexico generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in poverty 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
China generally does better on family life, though Mexico leads in education spending.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2022), World Health Organization (2024), Servicio de Administración Tributaria, SHCP (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016). How we calculate this
Weather in China vs Mexico
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Mexico City | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 74°/45°F (23°/7°C) | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 79°/53°F (26°/12°C) | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 73°/53°F (23°/12°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 71°/47°F (22°/8°C) | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Mexico City | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 70°/42°F (21.2°/5.8°C) | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 73°/45°F (22.9°/7.1°C) | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) |
| Mar | 78°/49°F (25.7°/9.2°C) | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 80°/51°F (26.6°/10.8°C) | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) |
| May | 80°/53°F (26.5°/11.7°C) | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) |
| Jun | 76°/54°F (24.6°/12.2°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) |
| Jul | 73°/53°F (23.0°/11.5°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) |
| Aug | 74°/53°F (23.3°/11.6°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) |
| Sep | 72°/53°F (22.3°/11.5°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
| Oct | 72°/50°F (22.2°/9.8°C) | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) |
| Nov | 71°/46°F (21.8°/7.9°C) | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) |
| Dec | 69°/44°F (20.8°/6.6°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) |
Data:
Coordinación General del Servicio Meteorológico Nacional,
China Meteorological Administration
Can you move from Mexico to China?
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Mexico 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.
Mexico passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China passport holder visiting Mexico
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 Mexico?
Yes — China is on average about 35% cheaper than Mexico. 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¥82,500 in China on a MX$1,400,000 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?
China generally does better on safety, though Mexico leads in road traffic deaths. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 24.9 in Mexico. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to Mexico?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Mexico leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 25.9 in Mexico. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Mexico: 75).
What's the weather like in China compared to Mexico?
The average high temperature in Shanghai is 68°F, compared to 74°F in Mexico City. Shanghai receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Mexico City gets 32.1 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Mexico, the official language is Spanish.
