The Rise of China as a Leading Expat Destination in 2025

When the 2025 Expat Insider results came out, many were surprised, China leapt into 6th place globally for expat destinations from 26th in 2023!

China is now in the top 10. How did China manage this dramatic rise? What changed, and what remains challenging?

Let's walk through the narrative behind the numbers, and what this means for expats, employers, and relocation services alike!

A Trip Down Memory Lane: China’s Recent Rankings

Back in 2023, China’s expat story was more of a “mixed bag.” In the Expat Insider 2023 survey, China placed 26th out of 53 destinations. The country scored relatively well for Personal Finance (10th) and for public transport affordability (2nd), but lagged in areas like Work Culture & Satisfaction (48th) and Expat Essentials (50th), the latter dealing with bureaucracy, administrative processes, and digital life.

Fast forward to 2025: China now claims 6th place out of 46 destinations in the overall ranking. According to InterNations’ “Biggest Winners & Losers” summary, China jumped from 19th place in 2024 to 6th in 2025. That’s a boost of 13 places, one of the most significant upward moves. So the story is clear: China went from a mid-ranking destination to one of the top choices in just a couple of years.

What’s Fueling the Ascent?

A few key dynamics have shifted in China’s favor, according to the data and commentary:

1. Stronger “Working Abroad” Performance

One of the more impressive leaps is in the Working Abroad index. China rose 21 places in that category to land in 9th position in 2025. Expats now report greater job satisfaction, more fair pay, and improved working hours. n fact, those working full time in China report an average week of 41.4 hours, down from 43.7 in 2024, while the global average held roughly steady. This suggests a gradual shift in work culture, more balance, perhaps more regulation or expectation changes, and better alignment between employer practices and expat expectations.

2. Quality of Life Gains

China isn’t just doing better at work, the Quality of Life index also saw a major upwards move. In 2024, China ranked 19th in this domain; in 2025, it’s jumped into the top 10 (6th) for Quality of Life overall.

Improvements are visible across many subindices: vSafety & Security moved from 35th to 17th.

Leisure Options leapt dramatically from 25th to 5th. Almost every factor in the Quality of Life index improved.

These changes reflect that expats now see China as not just a place to work, but one where life outside the office can be richer, safer, and more enjoyable.

3. Rising Personal Finance Scores

Finance is already one of Chinas strengths, but it improved further. In 2025, China ranks 4th in the personal Finance index. This is a major increase from being 10th in 2024. Only 6% of expats in China say their disposable income is not enough to live comfortably, down from 18% the year before. Put simply: most expats feel their salary goes further, day-to-day costs remain manageable, and the general “money vs. lifestyle” bargain is increasingly favorable in China.

4. A Bit of Relative Weakness That Helps

When a few strong performers falter, others move up. In 2025, China and Malaysia were the only new entrants into the top 10 list. Some countries that used to dominate may have slipped on one or more indices (quality of life, work-life, cost). That present opening which China has successfully seized. China’s weakest subcategory(within its strong roster) is housing, where it ranks 11th, still solid, but comparatively lower than its other sub-rankings.

The Ongoing Challenges

Even as China climbs, there are persistent friction points:

In earlier years, China was very weak in the Expat Essentials index (50th in 2023), especially in administrative processes, opening bank accounts, visa processing, and digital infrastructure. To make these first steps easier, we’ve published blogs such as “New Visa Rules for Expats in 2025” and “Top Ten Survival Apps in China,” which give practical guidance to help you navigate the paperwork and everyday digital life with confidence.

Work Culture & Work-Life Balance: These were significant pain points in 2023 (48th in work culture, 45th in work-life balance). While improvements have been made, these remain areas to watch.

Regional Disparities & Infrastructure Gaps: Big cities (Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen) benefit more from cosmopolitan infrastructure; other regions may lag in healthcare, transport, amenities, environmental quality.

Language, Integration & Cultural Barriers: Especially in less internationalized cities, language and local social norms still pose challenges.

Information & Internet Access: Censorship, restrictions on some global services/websites, and “Great Firewall” effects can be frustrations for many expats.

Information & Internet Access: Censorship, restrictions on some global services/websites, and “Great Firewall” effects can be frustrations for many expats.

InterNations

Housing in Premium Areas: While housing is relatively affordable in many places, prime central locations can still command high rents.

What It All Means - For You, For Us

This upward trajectory changes the narrative around China:

For people considering moving abroad: China is no longer a “risk bet” or a fallback, it’s increasingly a desirable option, especially for those who care about combining earning power and lifestyle.

For relocation services: The demand for smoother onboarding, visa facilitation, housing matching, and integration assistance in China is likely to grow.

For employers: It becomes easier to pitch China assignments when cost of living is favorable, quality of life is improving, and structural reforms ease friction points.

For Chinese/Local authorities: The challenge is to maintain momentum, keep improving administrative processes, ensure regional equity, balance urban growth with livability, and manage environmental, social, and infrastructure pressures.

If your interested into a more defined deep-dive here is the direct link to the Survey conducted on Expats for each respected country.

Expat Insider 2025 — The Importance of Personal Finances; https://www.internations.org/expat-insider