Moving to China from Uruguay

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What to Expect

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

If you moved from Uruguay to China, you would find that China is 40.1% cheaper than Uruguay overall. A UYU3,018,578 salary in Uruguay would need to be roughly CN¥270,744 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.

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How Far Will Your Money Go?

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

What does your salary buy?

UYU3,018,578 CN¥270,744

To maintain the same standard of living in China

Calculate with your salary →

How key spending categories compare

Restaurants

pay 74.6% less

Groceries

pay 36.7% less

Transportation

pay 57.1% less

Housing

pay 62.0% less

Childcare

pay 33.0% more

Entertainment and Sports

pay 40.9% less

See full cost of living breakdown
Exchange rate: 1 UYU = 0.1683 CNY (July 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.

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Key Indicator Comparison

The numbers behind daily life in China compared to Uruguay.

Is it safe?

Homicide rate United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

per 100,000 people per year

UY
11.2
CN
0.5
Road traffic deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

per 100,000 people per year

UY
13.0
CN
17.4

Uruguay generally does better on safety, though China leads in homicide rate.

How's the healthcare?

Healthcare spending per person World Bank, 2023

annual government + private spending per person

UY
$3,135
CN
$1,487
Doctors per 10,000 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

affects wait times and access to care

UY
46.3
CN
25.2

China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Uruguay leads in doctors per 10,000 people.

What about the environment?

Air pollution deaths United Nations SDG Indicators, 2019

deaths attributable to air pollution per 100k people

UY
16.0
CN
64.0
CO₂ emissions per capita World Bank, 2024

tonnes of CO₂ emitted per person per year

UY
2.6t
CN
9.3t

Uruguay performs better than China across all environment metrics.

Will I have good infrastructure?

Broadband per 100 people United Nations SDG Indicators, 2022

fixed broadband subscriptions — key for remote work

UY
33.2
CN
41.4
Water stress level United Nations SDG Indicators, 2021

higher means greater strain on freshwater supply

UY
9.8%
CN
41.5%

Uruguay generally does better on infrastructure, though China leads in broadband per 100 people.

What are the job prospects?

Unemployment rate The World Factbook, 2023

percentage of the labour force without work

UY
8.3%
CN
4.7%
GDP per capita The World Factbook, 2023

a broad measure of economic output per person

UY
$30,700
CN
$22,100

Uruguay generally does better on employment & economy, though China leads in unemployment rate.

Is it good for families?

Life expectancy The World Factbook, 2022

average years of life at birth

UY
78.4 yrs
CN
76.1 yrs
Infant mortality The World Factbook, 2022

deaths per 1,000 live births — lower is better

UY
8.3
CN
6.8

Uruguay generally does better on family life, though China leads in infant mortality.

Data: Dirección General Impositiva, The World Factbook, United Nations SDG Indicators, World Bank

What's the Climate Like?

Monthly averages — select a city to compare.

Montevideo Rain: 43.3 in/yr (1101 mm)
71° / 54°F

Avg. annual high / low

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

Avg. annual high / low

Months Montevideo Beijing
Jan–Mar 81°/63°F (27°/17°C) 42°/22°F (6°/-6°C)
Apr–Jun 65°/50°F (19°/10°C) 78°/55°F (26°/13°C)
Jul–Sep 61°/46°F (16°/8°C) 83°/66°F (29°/19°C)
Oct–Dec 75°/57°F (24°/14°C) 51°/32°F (11°/0°C)
View all months
Month Montevideo Beijing
Jan 83°/64°F (28.4°/18.0°C) 35°/15°F (1.6°/-9.4°C)
Feb 82°/64°F (27.5°/17.9°C) 39°/20°F (4.0°/-6.9°C)
Mar 78°/61°F (25.5°/16.2°C) 52°/31°F (11.3°/-0.6°C)
Apr 72°/55°F (22.0°/12.9°C) 68°/45°F (19.9°/7.2°C)
May 65°/50°F (18.6°/10.2°C) 80°/56°F (26.4°/13.2°C)
Jun 59°/46°F (15.1°/7.7°C) 87°/65°F (30.3°/18.2°C)
Jul 59°/45°F (15.0°/7.2°C) 87°/71°F (30.8°/21.6°C)
Aug 61°/46°F (16.2°/7.8°C) 85°/69°F (29.5°/20.4°C)
Sep 64°/48°F (18.0°/9.1°C) 78°/58°F (25.8°/14.2°C)
Oct 69°/53°F (20.5°/11.5°C) 66°/45°F (19.0°/7.3°C)
Nov 75°/58°F (23.7°/14.2°C) 50°/31°F (10.1°/-0.4°C)
Dec 80°/61°F (26.5°/16.3°C) 38°/20°F (3.3°/-6.9°C)

Data: Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia Instituto Uruguayo de Meteorologia, China Meteorological Administration China Meteorological Administration

Visitor Visa Requirements

Short-stay tourist visa rules between Uruguay 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.

Uruguay passport

Uruguay passport holder visiting China

Visa Free
Uruguay passport holders can enter China without a visa.
China passport

China passport holder visiting Uruguay

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

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 Uruguay?

On average China is about 47% less expensive than Uruguay, with major cities narrowing the gap.

How much money do I need to move to China?

Budget about CN¥67,686 for 3 months in China (based on a UYU3,018,578 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?

Uruguay 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 11.2 in Uruguay.

How is healthcare in China compared to Uruguay?

China generally does better on health & wellbeing, though Uruguay leads in doctors per 10,000 people. There are 25.2 doctors per 10,000 people in China, compared to 46.3 in Uruguay. China scores 81 on the WHO universal health coverage index (Uruguay: 82).

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

The average high temperature in Beijing is 64°F, compared to 71°F in Montevideo. Beijing receives around 22.8 in of rainfall per year, while Montevideo gets 43.3 in.

What language do they speak in China?

The official language in China is Chinese. In Uruguay, the official language is Spanish.

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At a Glance

UY CN
Population 3,407,213 1,410,539,758
Currency Uruguayan Peso (UYU) Chinese Yuan (CN¥)
Languages Spanish Chinese
Driving side Right Right
Calling code +598 +86
Time zones 1 1
Emergency number 911 110