Moving to China from Morocco

moving to

What to Expect

Considering a move from Morocco to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.

If you moved from Morocco to China, you would find that China is 14.1% more expensive than Morocco overall. A MAD740,000 salary in Morocco would need to be roughly CN¥575,000 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Beijing averages 64°F vs 73°F in Rabat, making it significantly cooler.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Morocco and China.

What does your salary buy?

MAD740,000 → CN¥575,000

To maintain the same standard of living in China

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 19.6% less

Groceries

pay 33.3% more

Transportation

pay 17.1% less

Housing

pay 13.7% more

Childcare

pay 4.0 times more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 3.9% more

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 MAD = 0.6806 CNY (October 2026)

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 2% more than cities in Morocco.

Morocco

Meknes 29%
Kenitra 27%
Safi 27%

China

Shanghai 36%
Changchun 35%
Shenzhen 34%
Guangzhou 32%

Compare cities head-to-head

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in China compared to Morocco.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate World Bank, 2023

per 100,000 people per year

MA
1.7
CN
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

MA
18.6
CN
17.4

China performs significantly better than Morocco across all safety metrics.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

MA
$606
CN
$1,487
Doctors per 10,000 people World Bank, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

MA
7.4
CN
31.1

China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco leads in healthcare spending per person.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

MA
59.0
CN
64.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

MA
1.8t
CN
9.3t

Morocco performs better than China across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people World Bank, 2024

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

MA
7.3
CN
47.2
Water stress level World Bank, 2022

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

MA
50.8%
CN
41.5%

China performs significantly better than Morocco across all infrastructure metrics.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate World Bank, 2025

percentage of the labour force without work

MA
9.0%
CN
4.6%
GDP per capita World Bank, 2025

a broad measure of economic output per person

MA
$4,672
CN
$13,862

China generally does better on employment & economy, though Morocco leads in top income tax rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy World Bank, 2024

average years of life at birth

MA
75.5 yrs
CN
78.0 yrs
Infant mortality World Bank, 2024

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

MA
14.7
CN
4.1

China generally does better on family life, though Morocco leads in education spending.

Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), United Nations SDG Indicators (2019–2021), World Health Organization (2024), Direction Générale des Impôts, Morocco (2016), State Administration of Taxation (2016), The World Factbook (2021). How we calculate this

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Rabat Rain: 20.6 in/yr (522 mm)
73° / 55°F

Avg. annual high / low

Beijing Rain: 22.8 in/yr (578 mm)
64° / 44°F

Avg. annual high / low

Months Rabat Beijing
Jan–Mar 65°/47°F (19°/8°C) 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 74°/56°F (23°/13°C) 78°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 81°/64°F (27°/18°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 71°/52°F (22°/11°C) 51°/32°F (11°/0°C)
View all months
Month Rabat Beijing
Jan 63°/45°F (17.4°/7.2°C) 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C)
Feb 65°/46°F (18.2°/7.8°C) 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C)
Mar 68°/49°F (20.2°/9.5°C) 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C)
Apr 70°/52°F (21.2°/10.9°C) 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C)
May 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.3°C) 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C)
Jun 78°/61°F (25.6°/15.9°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C)
Jul 81°/64°F (27.2°/17.9°C) 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C)
Aug 82°/65°F (27.8°/18.3°C) 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C)
Sep 80°/62°F (26.6°/16.8°C) 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C)
Oct 77°/58°F (24.8°/14.4°C) 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C)
Nov 70°/51°F (21.1°/10.8°C) 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C)
Dec 65°/48°F (18.6°/8.8°C) 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C)

Data: Direction de la Météorologie Nationale Direction de la Météorologie Nationale, China Meteorological Administration China Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Morocco 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.

Morocco passport

Morocco passport holder visiting China

Visa Required
Morocco passport holders need a visa to enter China.
China passport

China passport holder visiting Morocco

Visa Free
China passport holders can enter Morocco without a 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 Morocco?

On average China is around 14% pricier than Morocco, with notable variation by city.

How much money do I need to move to China?

Budget about CN¥143,750 for 3 months in China (based on a MAD740,000 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 performs significantly better than Morocco across all safety metrics. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 1.7 in Morocco.

How is healthcare in China compared to Morocco?

China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Morocco leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 31.1 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 7.4 in Morocco. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Morocco: 69).

What's the weather like in China compared to Morocco?

The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 73°F in Rabat. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Rabat gets 20.6 in.

What language do they speak in China?

The official language in China is Chinese. In Morocco, the official languages are Arabic and Berber.

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At a Glance

MA CN
Population 38,430,770 1,406,585,000
Currency Moroccan Dirham (MAD) Chinese Yuan (CN¥)
Languages Arabic, Berber Chinese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +212 +86
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 15 110