China

Eastern Asia

Asia

China offers one of the world's largest employment, manufacturing, technology, and consumer markets. Permanent residence and naturalisation are highly selective, internet access is regulated, and foreign investment restrictions vary by sector.

59
Overall score
Moderate · 97% data coverage
Language
Mandarin Chinese
Currency
CNY
Citizenship
No standard residence-based timeline
Personal tax
Progressive, up to 45%
Cost of living
$1,200 / mo (single)

Rules change often. Confirm any immigration, tax or legal decision with a qualified professional.

Score breakdown
34
Access
17%
41Residence12%
18Citizenship and passport5%
69
Earning power
25%
63Salary and work12%
74Buying power13%
61
Business and wealth
20%
56Taxes7%
65Business8%
61Investment5%
77
Daily life
25%
78Quality of life18%
73Education7%
31
Rights and institutions
13%
9Freedom6%
50Rule of law7%

Pros

  • Country-wide comparison coverage
  • Local residence and work pathways available

Cons

  • Legal and tax outcomes are case-specific
  • Costs vary materially by city and lifestyle

Best for

Users comparing regional optionsPeople prepared to verify a specific pathway

Score profile

Access
Residence
41
Citizenship
12
Passport
45
Earning power
Salary & work
63
Buying power
74
Cost of living
78
Economy
77
Business and wealth
Taxes
56
Personal tax
18
Corporate tax
29
Business
65
Investment
61
Wealth building
64
Daily life
Safety
73
Healthcare
81
Environment
55
Infrastructure
80
Education
73
HDI
80
Rights and institutions
Freedom
9
Rule of law
50
How the scores are calculated

Access

Residence
Openness to residents
Limited
41
Migrant stock0.1% of population (2024)
Regulatory quality-0.07 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main pathways
EmploymentStudyFamily reunificationBusiness or investment where eligible
StudentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
WorkRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Self-employedRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
PermanentRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Citizenship
Citizenship accessibility
Low
12
Years requiredNo standard residence-based timeline
Dual allowedNo
LanguageCheck the current naturalisation rules for the selected route
ResidenceTypical headline route: No standard residence-based timeline; qualifying residence and absence rules apply
NotesRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
Passport
Passport power
Moderate
45
89 / 198
Mobility
#58
Global rank
Yes
Biometric
  • Visa-free45
  • On arrival39
  • eTA5
  • Visa required109

Placeholder estimates for 2024 to 2025. Check entry rules with each destination before travelling.

Earning power

Salary & work
Labour-market strength
Moderate
63
Output per worker$45,842 PPP (2024)
Unemployment4.6% (2025)
Participation64.6% of 15+ (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tech salary (estimate)Varies substantially by city, seniority, and employer
FreelanceMarket access depends on language, sector, and work authorisation
Job marketUse current local vacancy and salary data for role-specific decisions.
Buying power
Purchasing power score
Good
74
GNI / person$29,160 PPP (2025)
Consumption / person$10,785 PPP (2024)
Price level48 (US = 100) (2025)
Income inequality36.0 Gini (2022)
Inflation0.1% / yr (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Cost of living
Affordability
Good
78
Price level48 (US = 100) (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

RentVaries substantially by city and neighbourhood
Monthly$1,200 / mo (single)
CitiesBeijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Guangzhou
Economy
Economic strength
Good
77
Output & income
GDP$19.5T (2025)
GDP / person$13,862 (2025)
GNI / person$29,160 PPP (2025)
GDP growth5.0% / yr (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Stability & labour
Inflation0.1% / yr (2025)
Unemployment4.6% (2025)
Output per worker$45,842 PPP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Sector composition
Agriculture6.7% of GDP (2025)
Industry35.6% of GDP (2025)
Services57.7% of GDP (2025)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Main industries
Manufacturing & electronicsMachineryTechnologySteel & constructionAutomotive & EVs
Top exports
Electronics & machineryEVs & batteriesTextilesSteel & goods
TypeUpper-middle-income, manufacturing- and investment-led
Key sectorsWorld's largest manufacturing base, Technology & EVs, Construction & infrastructure
SummaryThe world's second-largest economy and dominant manufacturer, increasingly led by technology, EVs and green energy.
CurrencyRenminbi / yuan (managed float)

Business and wealth

Taxes
Tax friendliness
Moderate
56
PersonalProgressive, up to 45%
Corporate25% standard; incentive rates may apply
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Foreign companiesManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Personal tax
Personal tax
Low
18
PersonalProgressive, up to 45%
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Exit taxCheck current domestic rules before changing tax residence
Corporate tax
Corporate tax
Low
29
Corporate25% standard; incentive rates may apply
Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, holding structure, residence, and treaty position
DividendsRates and withholding depend on residence and treaty eligibility
Foreign companiesManagement, permanent-establishment, CFC, and reporting rules may apply
Business
Business friendliness
Good
65
Regulation & bureaucracy
Regulatory quality-0.07 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Government effectiveness0.90 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Operating rules
Foreign companyGenerally possible, subject to sector, registration, tax, and substance rules
Local companyAvailable company forms and capital requirements vary
FreelanceRegistration, immigration permission, tax, and social contributions may apply
Investment
Investing environment
Moderate
61
Market cap80% of GDP (2025)
Private credit194% of GDP (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capital gainsTreatment varies by asset, residence, holding period, and treaty position
DividendsData not available yet
ETFs & fundsData not available yet
Wealth taxCheck current national and subnational rules
BrokersLocal and international availability varies by residency and compliance checks
Foreign accessData not available yet
Tax-advantagedData not available yet
Wealth building
Wealth accumulation
Moderate
64
Salary & work
Moderate
63
Business
Good
65
Investment
Moderate
61
Tax friendliness
Moderate
56
Cost of living
Good
78

Daily life

Safety
Safety & stability
Good
73
Personal safety
Homicide rate0.5 per 100,000 (2020)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Institutions & stability
Control of corruption0.09 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)
Political stability-0.15 (−2.5 to 2.5) (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Check current government travel and security advice before relocating.

Healthcare
Healthcare score
Excellent
81
Outcomes
Life expectancy78.0 years (2024)
Under-5 mortality5.7 per 1,000 births (2024)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Capacity & resourcing
Physicians3.11 per 1,000 (2022)
Hospital beds5.63 per 1,000 (2023)
Health spending$1,487 PPP / person (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

System & costs
SystemPublic/private mix varies by eligibility and residence status
InsuranceCheck residence-permit and local coverage requirements
Average costDepends on eligibility, income, insurer, and chosen coverage
Environment
Environment score
Moderate
55
Environmental pressure
PM2.5 exposure32.0 μg/m³ annually (2023)
Water stress41.5% (2022)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Infrastructure
Infrastructure score
Excellent
80
Digital infrastructure
Internet use91.6% (2025)
Internet resilience49 / 100 (2026)
Fixed speed88 / 100 download index (2026)
Mobile speed77 / 100 download index (2026)

Sources: World Bank World Development Indicators · Internet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Index

Utilities
Electricity access100.0% (2023)
Grid losses3.4% of output (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Transport
Transport quality4.00 / 5 (2022)
Rail density11.7 km / 1,000 km² (2021)
Air connectivity3,490 departures / million people (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Education
Education score
Good
73
Attainment
Expected schooling15.5 years (2023)
Mean schooling8.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Participation & investment
Tertiary enrolment77% gross (2024)
Education spending3.9% of GDP (2023)

Source: World Bank World Development Indicators

Tuition$3,000-15,000 / yr
Public universityVaries by institution, programme, and student nationality
LanguagesMandarin Chinese
Student workRules depend on status and circumstances; verify the current requirements with the competent authority before acting.
HDI
Human development score
Excellent
80
HDI0.797 (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Long & healthy life
Life expectancy78.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Knowledge
Expected schooling15.5 years (2023)
Mean schooling8.0 years (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Standard of living
GNI / person$22,029 PPP (2023)

Source: UNDP Human Development Report 2025

Rights and institutions

Freedom
Freedom score
Low
9
Freedom in the World9 / 100 (Not free)
Freedom on the Net9 / 100 (Not free)
Sources
Rule of law
Rule of law score
Moderate
50
Rule of Law percentile50 / 100
Sources
Resources
Official references
UN Statistics: M49 country and area codesunstats.un.orgPwC: Worldwide Tax Summariestaxsummaries.pwc.comUNDP Human Development Report 2025hdr.undp.orgInternet Society Pulse Internet Resilience Indexpulse.internetsociety.orgWorld Bank World Development Indicatorsdata.worldbank.org
Quick links
China visa & immigrationgoogle.comChina tax residency rulesgoogle.comChina citizenship requirementsgoogle.comCost of living in Chinagoogle.com

Data is illustrative. Not legal or tax advice.