Is China good for digital nomads?

Shenzhen scores 59/100 under balanced weights, which ranks it 653 of 1,000 cities in the dataset. China's 22 cities average 52.9/100. Strongest factors in Shenzhen: getting there & around and healthcare; weakest: visa ease.

What is the cheapest city in China for a remote worker?

Chengdu, at about $1,896 a month for one person including rent (WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages), 2026-09). Shenzhen is the most expensive city-priced option at $2,152.

Does China have a digital nomad visa?

Not according to the sources the dataset uses. Short visits follow the entry rules for your passport.

How long can a US, EU or UK citizen stay in China without a visa?

US passport: visa required. EU passport (Germany as reference): 30 days visa-free. UK passport: visa required. Source: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), 2026-02.

Which city in China has the fastest internet?

Beijing, with a measured median download of 29.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024). Measured speeds run below advertised plans everywhere; 40 Mbps measured is already good.

China records 0.5 homicides per 100,000 people (Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), 2020) and sits at the 66th percentile for political stability (World Bank WGI, 2025). These are national figures; city pages note local caveats.

Asia · 22 cities

China for digital nomads: 22 cities compared (2026)

China has 22 cities in the dataset. Shenzhen scores highest under balanced weights at 59/100; Chengdu is the cheapest with a city-level price at $1,896 a month. China has no digital-nomad visa.

Dataset 2026.10.7. How scoring works.

Best city: Shenzhen · 59/100
Cheapest city: Chengdu · $1,896/month
Fastest internet: Beijing · 29.7 Mbps
Nomad visa: none
US passport: visa required
EU passport: 30 days visa-free

Cities in China, ranked

Balanced weights, every factor equal. Open a city for the full breakdown with sources, or rank them with your own weights.

#	City	Score	Cost/mo	Internet	Comfortable months	Known for
1	Shenzhen China's hardware capital next to Hong Kong	59	$2,152	17.8 Mbps	7/12	Hardware and startups · Hong Kong 15 min
2	Sanya China's tropical beach resort at the southern tip of Hainan	57	$1,850*	17 Mbps	6/12	Yalong Bay beaches · Warm winters
3	Zhuhai Laid-back seafront city facing Macau, with a bridge to Hong Kong	57	$1,850*	15.5 Mbps	7/12	Lovers' Road seafront · Macau on foot across the border
4	Kunming City of eternal spring, 1,900 m up in Yunnan	56	$1,850*	17 Mbps	5/12	Year-round mild climate · Gateway to Yunnan
5	Xiamen China's cleanest coastal city, with Gulangyu island	56	$1,850*	10.8 Mbps	6/12	Gulangyu island · Seaside cycling paths
6	Guangzhou Cantonese food capital on the Pearl River, open visa-free for a month	55	$1,850*	15.1 Mbps	4/12	Cantonese dim sum · Canton Fair
7	Shanghai China's global city with a superb metro	55	$2,049	25.6 Mbps	4/12	Skyline and Bund · Metro network
8	Beijing China's capital: imperial history on a vast scale	54	$1,947	29.7 Mbps	4/12	Forbidden City and the Great Wall · One of the world's largest metros
9	Hangzhou West Lake and China's e-commerce capital	54	$1,850*	18.5 Mbps	4/12	West Lake · Alibaba headquarters
10	Suzhou Canals and classical gardens, 25 minutes from Shanghai	53	$1,850*	18.9 Mbps	4/12	UNESCO classical gardens · Canal-side old town
11	Nanjing Former capital with a Ming wall, plane-tree avenues and a big metro	53	$1,850*	16.7 Mbps	4/12	Ming city wall · Purple Mountain
12	Qingdao Beer, beaches and German-era streets on the Yellow Sea	52	$1,850*	16.9 Mbps	4/12	Tsingtao brewery · City beaches and sailing harbour
13	Chengdu Sichuan's laid-back megacity of tea houses and hotpot	52	$1,896	12.9 Mbps	5/12	Pandas · Sichuan food
14	Chongqing Mountain megacity of hotpot, river cliffs and skyscraper canyons	52	$1,850*	16.6 Mbps	4/12	Numbing Chongqing hotpot · Hongya Cave night skyline
15	Dali Lakeside old town and China's best-known nomad hub	51	$1,850*	17 Mbps	4/12	Erhai Lake and the Cang Mountains · China's digital nomad scene
16	Lijiang Naxi old town at 2,400 m below Jade Dragon Snow Mountain	51	$1,850*	17 Mbps	1/12	UNESCO old town · Jade Dragon Snow Mountain
17	Wuhan Central China's river hub, with a huge metro and university scene	51	$1,850*	20 Mbps	3/12	Yangtze River bridges · East Lake greenway
18	Xi'an Terracotta Army, city walls and the start of the Silk Road	50	$1,850*	8.8 Mbps	6/12	Terracotta Army · Intact Ming city walls
19	Tianjin Beijing's port city, with European concessions and lower rents	50	$1,850*	17 Mbps	4/12	Five Great Avenues concession streets · Beijing in 30 minutes by rail
20	Guilin Karst peaks and the Li River, at a small-city pace	50	$1,850*	17 Mbps	3/12	Li River cruise · Karst limestone peaks
21	Harbin Russian-flavoured northern city with an epic winter ice festival	50	$1,850*	17 Mbps	4/12	Ice and Snow Festival · Russian architecture on Central Street
22	Changsha Hunan's spicy, late-night city with low rents	48	$1,850*	14.4 Mbps	3/12	Spicy Hunan food · Late-night economy

* national estimate

National figures shared by every city

These come from country-level sources and apply to every city in China; city pages add the local numbers.

Figure	Value	Source
Homicide rate	0.5 per 100,000 people	Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), 2020
Political stability	66 (percentile, World Bank WGI)	Worldwide Governance Indicators — Political Stability and Absence of Violence (score 0–100), 2025
Health coverage index	85 (WHO UHC index, 0–100)	UHC service coverage index, 2023
Life expectancy	77.6 years	Life expectancy at birth (years), both sexes, 2021
Human Development Index	0.797	Human Development Index (HDR 2025, HDI 2023), 2023
English proficiency	low	EF English Proficiency Index 2024 (band), 2024
Starlink	not available	Starlink availability map, 2026-10

Visas and entry

What three common passports get at the border, from the passport index. Pick your own passport on the ranker for the full picture.

Passport	Entry rule
US passport	visa required
EU passport	30 days visa-free
UK passport	visa required

Rank China's cities for your passport →

No long-stay guide for China yet. Entry rules above are for short visits.

Compare cities in China

Head-to-head pages for the pairs people look at most.

Frequently asked questions

Is China good for digital nomads?: Shenzhen scores 59/100 under balanced weights, which ranks it 653 of 1,000 cities in the dataset. China's 22 cities average 52.9/100. Strongest factors in Shenzhen: getting there & around and healthcare; weakest: visa ease.
What is the cheapest city in China for a remote worker?: Chengdu, at about $1,896 a month for one person including rent (WhereNext city cost estimates 2026 (city pages), 2026-09). Shenzhen is the most expensive city-priced option at $2,152.
Does China have a digital nomad visa?: Not according to the sources the dataset uses. Short visits follow the entry rules for your passport.
How long can a US, EU or UK citizen stay in China without a visa?: US passport: visa required. EU passport (Germany as reference): 30 days visa-free. UK passport: visa required. Source: Passport Index dataset (visa requirements, 199 passports × 199 destinations), 2026-02.
Which city in China has the fastest internet?: Beijing, with a measured median download of 29.7 Mbps (M-Lab, 2024). Measured speeds run below advertised plans everywhere; 40 Mbps measured is already good.
How safe is China?: China records 0.5 homicides per 100,000 people (Victims of intentional homicide per 100,000 population (national data, latest year), 2020) and sits at the 66th percentile for political stability (World Bank WGI, 2025). These are national figures; city pages note local caveats.

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