Moving to China from Washington
What to Expect
Everything you need to know before relocating from Washington to China — costs, safety, healthcare, and practical first steps.
If you moved from Washington to China, you would find that China is 68.9% cheaper than Washington. A $75,000 salary in Washington would need to be roughly CN¥156,000 in China to maintain the same lifestyle, and you’d need to navigate life in Chinese.
Planning this move? Get up to 5 free, no-obligation quotes from vetted international movers. Get free quotes ↓Is China cheaper than Washington?
Where you'll feel the difference day-to-day
Restaurants
pay 79.2% less
Groceries
pay 56.4% less
Transportation
pay 47.4% less
Housing
pay 82.9% less
Childcare
pay 57.9% less
Entertainment and Sports
pay 58.5% 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.
What salary do you need in China?
What does your salary buy?
$75,000 → CN¥156,000
To maintain the same standard of living in China
Calculate with your salary →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 56% less than cities in Washington.
Compare cities head-to-head
Get free moving quotes to China
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Who Else Is Making This Move?
How many people actually move from Washington 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
- · · ·
-
7.20,762
United States
Key Indicator Comparison
Key indicators for anyone considering a move from Washington to China.
How's the healthcare?
share of adults with obesity
China performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
Will I have good infrastructure?
share of households with internet
Washington 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
China generally does better on employment & economy, though Washington leads in gdp per capita.
Is it good for families?
average years of life at birth
Washington performs better than China across all family life metrics.
Sources: World Bank (2020–2025), US Census Bureau (American Community Survey) (2023), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (PLACES) (2022), World Health Organization (2024), Bureau of Labor Statistics (2025), Bureau of Economic Analysis (2024), OECD Regional Demography (2020). How we calculate this
Weather in China vs Washington
Monthly averages — select a city to compare.
Avg. annual high / low
Avg. annual high / low
| Months | Seattle | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan–Mar | 50°/38°F (10°/3°C) | 49°/36°F (10°/2°C) |
| Apr–Jun | 64°/47°F (18°/8°C) | 73°/60°F (23°/16°C) |
| Jul–Sep | 74°/55°F (23°/13°C) | 86°/74°F (30°/23°C) |
| Oct–Dec | 52°/41°F (11°/5°C) | 62°/47°F (17°/9°C) |
View all months
| Month | Seattle | Shanghai |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | 47°/37°F (8.4°/2.7°C) | 46°/33°F (7.7°/0.5°C) |
| Feb | 50°/37°F (9.9°/2.7°C) | 47°/35°F (8.6°/1.5°C) |
| Mar | 54°/39°F (12.1°/4.1°C) | 55°/41°F (12.7°/5.1°C) |
| Apr | 58°/42°F (14.7°/5.7°C) | 65°/51°F (18.6°/10.6°C) |
| May | 65°/47°F (18.2°/8.5°C) | 74°/60°F (23.5°/15.7°C) |
| Jun | 70°/52°F (21.1°/11.1°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.3°C) |
| Jul | 76°/56°F (24.3°/13.1°C) | 89°/77°F (31.6°/24.8°C) |
| Aug | 76°/56°F (24.6°/13.3°C) | 89°/76°F (31.5°/24.7°C) |
| Sep | 71°/52°F (21.4°/11.2°C) | 81°/69°F (27.2°/20.5°C) |
| Oct | 60°/46°F (15.4°/7.7°C) | 72°/58°F (22.3°/14.7°C) |
| Nov | 51°/40°F (10.5°/4.4°C) | 62°/47°F (16.7°/8.6°C) |
| Dec | 46°/36°F (7.6°/2.0°C) | 51°/36°F (10.6°/2.4°C) |
Data:
National Weather Service,
China Meteorological Administration
Can you move from Washington to China?
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 Washington?
Yes — China is on average about 69% cheaper than Washington. City-level variation can be significant.
How much money do I need to move to China?
Plan for at least 3 months of living expenses — roughly CN¥39,000 in China on a $75,000 comparable salary — plus one-off moving costs (flights, shipping, a rental deposit, and visa fees).
Can I work remotely from China?
Usually fine from major cities in China. The harder questions are legal — digital nomad visa eligibility, your employer's overseas-work policy, and tax residency in both countries.
How is healthcare in China compared to Washington?
China performs significantly better than Washington across all health & wellbeing metrics.
What's the weather like in China compared to Washington?
The average high temperature in Shanghai is 68°F, compared to 60°F in Seattle. Shanghai receives around 43.8 in of rainfall per year, while Seattle gets 37.5 in.
What language do they speak in China?
The official language in China is Chinese. In Washington, the official language is English.
