Moving to China from Portugal
What to Expect
Considering a move from Portugal to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from Portugal to China, you would find that China is 36.1% cheaper than Portugal overall. A €65,700 salary in Portugal would need to be roughly CN¥279,646 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.
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A breakdown of how everyday costs differ between Portugal and China.
What does your salary buy?
€65,700 → CN¥279,646
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 70.1% less
Groceries
pay 24.8% less
Transportation
pay 51.1% less
Housing
pay 68.3% less
Childcare
pay 11.9% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 21.4% 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 42% less than cities in Portugal.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to Portugal.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
per 100,000 people per year
Portugal 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 Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people.
What about the environment?
deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people
tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year
Portugal 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
Portugal generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in electricity per capita.
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 Portugal leads in gdp per capita.
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
Portugal generally does better on family life, though China leads in literacy rate.
Data: Autoridade Tributária e Aduaneira, 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 | Lisbon | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 61°/48°F (16°/9°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 71°/56°F (22°/13°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 65°/53°F (18°/12°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Lisbon | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°/47°F (14.5°/8.2°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 60°/48°F (15.6°/9.0°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 64°/50°F (17.6°/9.9°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 66°/52°F (19.1°/11.1°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 71°/55°F (21.7°/13.0°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 77°/60°F (24.8°/15.6°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 81°/63°F (27.4°/17.4°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 82°/64°F (27.9°/17.7°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 80°/63°F (26.4°/17.0°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 72°/58°F (22.4°/14.6°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 64°/52°F (17.8°/11.2°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 59°/48°F (14.8°/8.9°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between Portugal 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.
Portugal passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting Portugal
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 Portugal?
On average China is about 45% less expensive than Portugal, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥69,912 for 3 months in China (based on a €65,700 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: 41.4 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?
Portugal 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 0.8 in Portugal.
How is healthcare in China compared to Portugal?
China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Portugal leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 57.7 in Portugal. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Portugal: 88).
What's the weather like in China compared to Portugal?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 69°F in Lisbon. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Lisbon gets 29.6 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Portugal, the official language is Portuguese.
