Moving to China from Pakistan
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Pakistan to China — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Pakistan to China, you would find that China is 3.3 times more expensive than Pakistan overall. A PKR20,869,801 salary in Pakistan would need to be roughly CN¥834,737 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. Expect a noticeable climate shift — Beijing averages 64°F vs 84°F in Islamabad, making it significantly cooler.
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What to expect for your wallet after moving from Pakistan to China.
What does your salary buy?
PKR20,869,801 → CN¥834,737
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 27.8% more
Groceries
pay 98.0% more
Transportation
pay 52.2% more
Housing
pay 2.2 times more
Childcare
pay 12.1 times more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 82.7% more
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 57% more than cities in Pakistan.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Pakistan to China, based on official data.
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
- · · ·
-
18.3,414
Pakistan
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Pakistan to China.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Pakistan generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate.
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 Pakistan 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
Pakistan generally does better on environment, though China leads in air pollution deaths.
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 Pakistan 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
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Pakistan 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
percentage of adults who can read and write
China performs significantly better than Pakistan across all family life metrics.
Data: Federal Board of Revenue, Government of Pakistan, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank
What's the Climate Like?
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Islamabad | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 69°/44°F (21°/7°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 95°/68°F (35°/20°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 94°/74°F (34°/23°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 78°/48°F (26°/9°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Islamabad | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°/38°F (17.9°/3.2°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 68°/43°F (19.8°/6.0°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 76°/51°F (24.5°/10.7°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 87°/60°F (30.5°/15.8°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 97°/69°F (36.0°/20.7°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 101°/75°F (38.4°/23.8°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 96°/76°F (35.3°/24.4°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 93°/75°F (33.7°/23.8°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 93°/70°F (33.7°/21.1°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 88°/58°F (30.9°/14.5°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 79°/47°F (25.9°/8.3°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 68°/40°F (20.2°/4.3°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
China Meteorological AdministrationVisitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Pakistan 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.
Pakistan passport holder visiting China
Visa Required
China passport holder visiting Pakistan
Visa Online (e-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 Pakistan?
No — China is on average about 64% more expensive than Pakistan. City-level variation matters.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CN¥208,684 in China on a PKR20,869,801 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 41.4 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?
Pakistan generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 4.2 in Pakistan.
How is healthcare in China compared to Pakistan?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Pakistan leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 10.8 in Pakistan. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Pakistan: 45).
What's the weather like in China compared to Pakistan?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 84°F in Islamabad. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Islamabad gets 49.1 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Pakistan, the official languages are English and Urdu.
