Moving to China from New York
What to Expect
Considering a move from New York to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from New York to China, you would find that China is 56.2% cheaper than New York. A $75,000 salary in New York would need to be roughly CN¥217,683 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.
How Far Will Your Money Go?
A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between New York and China.
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CN¥217,683
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 77.2% less
Groceries
pay 51.7% less
Transportation
pay 43.0% less
Housing
pay 81.2% less
Childcare
pay 58.0% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 59.9% 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 59% less than cities in New York.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from New York 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
- · · ·
-
7.20,762
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to New York.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
China performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
New York performs better than China across all infrastructure metrics.
What are the job prospects?
percentage of the labour force without work
a broad measure of economic output per person
share of people below the poverty line
New York generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in poverty rate.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
New York performs better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: Bureau of Economic Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES), OECD Regional Demography, US Census Bureau (American Community Survey)
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Albany | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 37°/19°F (2°/-7°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 68°/47°F (20°/8°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 78°/58°F (26°/14°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 48°/31°F (9°/-1°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Albany | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 31°/15°F (-0.8°/-9.7°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 35°/17°F (1.4°/-8.2°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 44°/26°F (6.9°/-3.5°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 58°/37°F (14.6°/2.9°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 69°/47°F (20.8°/8.4°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 78°/56°F (25.5°/13.6°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 82°/61°F (27.9°/16.3°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 80°/60°F (26.9°/15.5°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 72°/52°F (22.3°/10.9°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 60°/40°F (15.4°/4.2°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 48°/31°F (8.8°/-0.3°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 36°/21°F (2.1°/-6.0°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between United States 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.
United States passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China passport holder visiting United States
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 New York?
On average China is about 57% less expensive than New York, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥54,421 for 3 months in China (based on a $75,000 comparable annual salary), then add the one-off costs: flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees.
Can I work remotely from China?
From major China cities the network usually holds up. Visa rules, your employer's stance on overseas employees, and tax residency in New York and China are what actually decide it long-term.
How is healthcare in China compared to New York?
China performs significantly better than New York across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in China compared to New York?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 58°F in Albany. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Albany gets 39.4 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In New York, the official language is English.
