Moving to China from South Korea
What to Expect
Considering a move from South Korea to China? Here's how the two compare on cost, climate, safety, and more.
If you moved from South Korea to China, you would find that China is 34.0% cheaper than South Korea overall. A ₩112,436,250 salary in South Korea would need to be roughly CN¥317,079 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 South Korea and China.
What does your salary buy?
₩112,436,250 → CN¥317,079
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →How key spending categories compare
Restaurants
pay 49.9% less
Groceries
pay 53.4% less
Transportation
pay 34.7% less
Housing
pay 49.6% less
Childcare
pay 3.0% more
Entertainment and Sports
pay 28.0% 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 32% less than cities in South Korea.
Compare cities head-to-head
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
What the data shows about people moving from South Korea to China.
Key Indicator Comparison
The numbers behind daily life in China compared to South Korea.
Is it safe?
per 100,000 people per year
of residents who feel safe walking alone at night
per 100,000 people per year
South Korea generally does better on safety, though China leads in feel safe walking at night.
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
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China 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
South Korea generally does better on environment, though China leads in co₂ emissions per capita.
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
South Korea generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in water stress level.
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
South Korea 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
South Korea performs better than China across all family life metrics.
Data: National Tax Service, South Korea, 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 | Seoul | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 43°/28°F (6°/-2°C) | 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 73°/56°F (23°/13°C) | 78°/55°F (26°/13°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 83°/70°F (28°/21°C) | 83°/66°F (29°/19°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 54°/38°F (12°/4°C) | 51°/32°F (11°/0°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seoul | Beijing |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 36°/22°F (2.1°/-5.5°C) | 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C) |
| Feb | 41°/26°F (5.1°/-3.2°C) | 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C) |
| Mar | 52°/35°F (11.0°/1.9°C) | 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C) |
| Apr | 64°/46°F (17.9°/8.0°C) | 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C) |
| May | 74°/56°F (23.6°/13.5°C) | 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C) |
| Jun | 82°/66°F (27.6°/18.7°C) | 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C) |
| Jul | 84°/72°F (29.0°/22.3°C) | 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C) |
| Aug | 86°/73°F (30.0°/22.9°C) | 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C) |
| Sep | 79°/64°F (26.2°/17.7°C) | 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C) |
| Oct | 68°/51°F (20.2°/10.6°C) | 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C) |
| Nov | 53°/38°F (11.9°/3.5°C) | 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C) |
| Dec | 40°/26°F (4.2°/-3.4°C) | 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C) |
Data:
Korea Meteorological Administration,
China Meteorological Administration
Visitor Visa Requirements
Short-stay tourist visa rules between South Korea 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.
South Korea passport holder visiting China
Visa Free
China passport holder visiting South Korea
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 South Korea?
On average China is about 38% less expensive than South Korea, with major cities narrowing the gap.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Budget about CN¥79,270 for 3 months in China (based on a ₩112,436,250 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?
South Korea generally does better on safety, though China leads in feel safe walking at night. The homicide rate in China is 0.5 per 100,000 people, compared to 0.5 in South Korea. About 91% of people in China feel safe walking alone at night.
How is healthcare in China compared to South Korea?
South Korea generally does better on health & wellbeing, though China leads in healthcare spending per person. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 25.2 in South Korea. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (South Korea: 89).
What's the weather like in China compared to South Korea?
The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 63°F in Seoul. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Seoul gets 55.8 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In South Korea, the official language is Korean.
