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| ⭐️ Total score | 204 reviews |
| 👍 Quality of life score | |
| 👶 Family score | |
| 💵 Cost | |
| 📡 Internet | |
| 😝 Fun | |
| ⛅️ Temperature (now) | |
| 💦 Humidity (now) | |
| 💨 Air quality (now) | |
| 💨 Air quality (annual) | |
| 👌 Safety | |
| 👮♀️ Lack of crime* | |
| 🤝 Lack of racism* | |
| 🎓 Education level* | |
| 💰 Income level* | |
| 🙊 English speaking* | |
| 🚶 Walkability | |
| ✌️ Peace (no pol. conflict) | |
| 🚦 Traffic safety* | |
| 🏥 Hospitals | |
| 😄 Happiness* | |
| 🍸 Nightlife | |
| 📶 Free WiFi in city | |
| 🖥 Places to work from | |
| ❄️ A/C or heating | |
| 😁 Friendly to foreigners | |
| 🗯 Freedom of speech* | |
| 👩 Female friendly | |
| 🌈 LGBTQ+ friendly | |
| 🎅 Startup Score |
| 🌍 Continent | Asia |
| 🚩 Country | China |
| ⏱ Average trip time | 4 days |
| 📡 Internet speed (avg) | 14 Mbps ⚠️ Internet in Urumqi is fast averaging 112 Mbps but the Great Firewall slows down speeds to foreign websites by 8x to ~14 Mbps. |
| ⛅️ Weather (now) | ☀️ -2°C 28°F + 😊 Comfy (60%) = feels -6°C 21°F |
| 💨 Air quality (now) | 😷 165 US AQI = 🚬 🚬 / day |
| 💨 Air quality (annual avg) | 😐 75 US AQI = 🚬🍃 OK |
| 🔌 Power | 230V50Hz |
| 🚕 Best taxi app* | |
| 🚑 Travel medical insurance |  Safetywing |
| 📱 Best wireless carrier | China Mobile |
| 💸 10 CNY in USD | USD 1.58 |
| 🏧 Suggested ATM take out: | CNY 1,000 = USD 158 |
| 💸 Tipping | No |
| 💳 Cashless | 💵 No, cash only (esp. for foreigners because WeChat is very hard to set up) |
| ☕️ Best coffee place | Starbucks |
| 🚰 Tap water | 🚫 No, not drinkable |
| 👨👩👧👦 Population | 1,800,000 people |
| 👨👩👧👦 GDP per capita* | $8,126 / year |
| 👫 Gender ratio (overall) | 👨 54% 👱♀️ 46% |
| 👫 Gender ratio (young adults) | 👨 56% 👱♀️ 44% |
| ⛪️ Religious government | Non-religious |
| 🏠 Apartment listings | Ganji |
| ✈️ Best short-haul air carrier | Hainan |
| ✈️ Best int'l air carrier | China Southern Airlines |
| 💵 Cost of living for nomad | $1,447 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for expat | $1,008 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for family | $2,269 / month |
| 💵 Cost of living for local | $648 / month |
| 🏠 1br studio rent in center | $331 / month |
| 🏢 Coworking | $79 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel (median price) | $744 / month |
| 🏨 Hotel (median price) | $35 / night |
| 🏡 Airbnb (median from 32 listings) | $1,561 / month |
| 🏠 Airbnb (median price) | $51 / night |
| 🍛 Dinner | $3 |
| 🥤 Coca-Cola (0.3L) | $0 |
| 🍺 Beer (0.5L) | $5 |
| ☕️ Coffee | $3 |
✅ Affordable to live
✅ Very safe
✅ Fast internet
✅ Warm in the spring
✅ Perfect humidity now
✅ Good air quality usually
✅ Spacious and not crowded
✅ Easy to do business
✅ Safe for women
❌ No freedom of speech
❌ Not much to do
❌ Cold now
❌ Gets very cold in the winter
❌ Too hot in the summer
❌ Bad air quality today
❌ Difficult to make friends
❌ Quality of education is low
❌ Roads can be dangerous
❌ People don't speak English well
❌ Not family friendly
❌ Hostile towards LGBTQ+
❌ People smoking tobacco a lot
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | |
| Feels | 19-7° freezing | 25-4° freezing | 362° cold | 6317° cool | 7323° mild | 8228° warm | 9032° hot | 8429° warm | 7725° warm | 5915° cool | 362° cold | 25-4° freezing |
| Real | 20-7° freezing | 25-4° freezing | 352° very cold | 6217° cool | 7323° mild | 8329° very warm | 9032° hot | 8530° very warm | 7725° warm | 5815° cool | 373° very cold | 25-4° freezing |
| Humidity | nice 70% | nice 69% | nice 70% | nice 52% | nice 39% | nice 38% | nice 32% | nice 35% | nice 37% | nice 45% | nice 67% | damp 73% |
| Rain | dry 1mm | dry 4mm | dry 1mm | dry 10mm | dry 9mm | dry 12mm | dry 6mm | dry 6mm | dry 11mm | dry 3mm | dry 9mm | dry 3mm |
| Cloud | pockets 45% | pockets 49% | pockets 28% | cloudy 71% | cloudy 52% | cloudy 53% | pockets 37% | pockets 37% | pockets 35% | pockets 41% | pockets 42% | cloudy 52% |
| Air quality | bad 232 US AQI | bad 198 US AQI | bad 154 US AQI | okay 75 US AQI | okay 81 US AQI | okay 73 US AQI | okay 72 US AQI | okay 71 US AQI | okay 75 US AQI | bad 103 US AQI | bad 146 US AQI | bad 180 US AQI |
| Sun | safe 1 UVI | safe 1 UVI | seek shade 4 UVI | safe 3 UVI | avoid sun 6 UVI | seek shade 3 UVI | avoid sun 8 UVI | avoid sun 8 UVI | seek shade 3 UVI | seek shade 3 UVI | safe 1 UVI | safe 1 UVI |
| Remote workers | 200 people | 200 people | 200 people | 0 people | 0 people | 200 people | 200 people | 200 people | 200 people | 200 people | 0 people | 0 people |
Based on Urumqi's cost of living, here's selected remote jobs that would cover your costs:
The people are open, warm and enthusiastic with travelers. Service is brilliant (generally) - much better then Europe. WIFI is poor, drivers have one hand holding their mobile and the other on the horn. Really nice "pace" and the diverse ethnicity get along beautifully. This is NOT BORAT land - Almaty is 2.7 million people.
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌫 Feels 6° 43° 6° 42°AQI 63✈️1h$1,230 / mo5MbpsBishkek is very cheap. However, I do not agree with several points mentioned in scoring: 1. Bishkek certainly has more English speakers than, for example, in Budapest 2. The air quality is not great - Bishkek is one of the most polluted cities in the world 3. Internet - depends, you can find internet faster than in the UK Other points - it is difficult finding a job here, I am glad I am working on a project in the UK. The costs of living are very low, average person will earn about $100-200 in t
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 3° 37° 4° 40°AQI 173😷✈️1h$897 / mo3Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌤 Feels -5° 23° -1° 31°AQI 52✈️2h$1,278 / mo9MbpsNot as bad as it is written here, clearly better than Novosibirsk and Tomsk. Price information is not true.
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ✈️2h$1,635 / mo11Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌫 Feels -5° 23° -1° 31°AQI 38✈️2h$1,522 / mo11Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 2° 36° 2° 36°AQI 142😷✈️2h$1,328 / mo⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌫 Feels -14° 7° -8° 17°AQI 21✈️2h$1,150 / mo7Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 7° 45° 8° 46°AQI 134😷✈️2h$901 / mo1MbpsBest place for solo travellers. The people here are awesome. Almost no crime against foreigners according to statistics. Give this paradise on earth a try :)
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌫 Feels 5° 41° 5° 42°AQI 347😷✈️2h$835 / mo20Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels -10° 14° -10° 13°AQI 450😷✈️2h$965 / mo2Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ☀️ Feels 3° 37° 3° 38°AQI 151😷✈️2h$1,914 / mo⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌤 Feels -16° 3° -9° 17°AQI 21✈️2h$1,182 / mo12Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 10° 50° 10° 51°AQI 102😷✈️4h$1,559 / moBishkek is very cheap. However, I do not agree with several points mentioned in scoring: 1. Bishkek certainly has more English speakers than, for example, in Budapest 2. The air quality is not great - Bishkek is one of the most polluted cities in the world 3. Internet - depends, you can find internet faster than in the UK Other points - it is difficult finding a job here, I am glad I am working on a project in the UK. The costs of living are very low, average person will earn about $100-200 in t
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 3° 37° 4° 40°AQI 173😷✈️1h$897 / mo3MbpsThe people are open, warm and enthusiastic with travelers. Service is brilliant (generally) - much better then Europe. WIFI is poor, drivers have one hand holding their mobile and the other on the horn. Really nice "pace" and the diverse ethnicity get along beautifully. This is NOT BORAT land - Almaty is 2.7 million people.
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌫 Feels 6° 43° 6° 42°AQI 63✈️1h$1,230 / mo5Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 22° 72° 22° 71°AQI 93😷✈️5h$2,041 / mo1Mbps⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌤 Feels 18° 64° 18° 64°AQI 59✈️4h$1,638 / moDefinitely an underrated place for nomads - Huge city with a small town feel. Lots of different neighborhoods to appeal to different types of people: some commercial, some hipstery, some historical, some modern. Food and rent is cheap (and the food is damn good). People are very friendly as compared to other big Asian cities. You can also get easy work as a tutor and make good extra cash. I survived for five months tutoring and doing other English related work for max 12 hrs a week (leaving me
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ✈️3h$2,637 / mo1MbpsI lived and worked (at a law firm) in Chengdu for about 3 months. I absolutely loved the city! It's so different from east coast China, especially given the Tibetan influences in many areas. I had a company arrange my apartment and registrations, but was a seamless process. I am a white, American male who speaks a decent bit of Mandarin, and I found the locals to be incredibly hospitable. China is general is extremely affordable for a Westerner, and Chengdu offers the luxuries of any large, West
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 13° 55° 13° 55°AQI 165😷✈️3h$1,410 / mo🌇 Also went here6 peopleDefinitely an underrated place for nomads - Huge city with a small town feel. Lots of different neighborhoods to appeal to different types of people: some commercial, some hipstery, some historical, some modern. Food and rent is cheap (and the food is damn good). People are very friendly as compared to other big Asian cities. You can also get easy work as a tutor and make good extra cash. I survived for five months tutoring and doing other English related work for max 12 hrs a week (leaving me
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ✈️3h$2,637 / mo🌇 Also went here6 peopleShanghai is a giant city and your experience really depends on a few factors like: 1) where you live in the city 2) do you speak basic Mandarin 3) do you make nice money 4) do you have to use the internet If you can afford to live in Jing'an or the French Concession, you can live a fashionable metropolitan lifestyle like you would in New York City. There's amazing food (Asian, Western and fusion). You'll be surrounded by entrepreneurs, artists, fashion designers and models. Many of whom d
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌤 Feels 10° 50° 10° 50°AQI 63✈️4h$2,031 / mo🌇 Also went here8 peopleI've been living for a year in Itaewon-dong, Seoul back in 2015 when i was 22 years old. It was one of the best year of my life, i made lifelong friends overthere. Great culture, great food, great people. The cons : no beach, ultra-capitalist environment, big city life downside (transportation, prices etc...)
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels -5° 23° -3° 26°AQI 59✈️4h$2,197 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peopleHong Kong is a great city with dense urban areas but also nature and hiking routes only 15 minutes away. There are restaurants for every taste and budget, from the best US fast casual chains to high end Michelin star restaurants. It's also extremely safe, despite recent political instability.
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 21° 70° 20° 68°AQI 105😷✈️5h$2,581 / mo🌇 Also went here8 peopleDon't believe the prices on here for an apartment. 686 usd/month refers to an apartment in a high class condo, right in the city centre and seconds away from the BTS(train station). Just remember this, people working at supermarkets make 2 usd/per hour. If you want to live like a local, then you can save a lot of money. If you don't mind a 5-10 minute walk from the BTS, then you can easily get a one bedroom apartment for 300 USD per month, in a high class condo, plus with free golf cart ser
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 36° 97° 31° 88°🥵AQI 137😷✈️5h$1,339 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peopleDefinitely check out The Key (on near Zhong Xiao Dun Hua station) if living here for more than a month. Cafe + Gym + Bar all in one, monthly membership about $50 USD. English-friendly, no contracts. Made my 3 month stay here immensely better with fast wifi in the cafe and it's a great feeling to be able to work out immediately after working.
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 18° 64° 18° 65°AQI 25✈️5h$2,232 / mo🌇 Also went here6 peopleThey say you get what you pay for. After having traveled the previous 4 months in India, Cambodia, VietNam, Myanmar and Thailand, Singapore was so easy! The subway system is a marvel, streets signs were easy to read, everyone speaks English (that just makes it easy for me as an English speaker) it is safe, clean, and parks are gorgeous. I was there as COVID 19 was breaking out fairly fast and that put a damper on my time but I was so happy to be there anyway and plan to go back. For digital
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels 38° 100° 30° 86°🥵AQI 46✈️7h$3,154 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peopleI visited Prague on more than one occasion and tried something new each time. I really wanted to enjoy it, but unfortunately it turned out to be one of my least favourite cities. Perhaps it was just me, but there was an overwhelming sense of distrust and dislike towards foreigners, you have to try pretty hard to blend in if you want to experience the life of a local & avoid the tourism. I met some wonderful people and and there’s some cool communities to be part of, but another extended stay
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety ✈️7h$2,160 / mo🌇 Also went here6 peopleI've lived in Munich for six months during my Erasmus internship. It is a great place to live generally, offering high quality of life, and it would hands down be the best city to live in Germany if: -It wasn't expensive af, especially rent prices -It wasn't almost impossible to find a place to rent (like literally the only way to find is through acquaintances) -Bavaria was less bureaucratic and more tech-progressive -It had more... young people; much of the youth there is because of the two of
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌦 Feels -1° 30° 3° 37°AQI 19✈️8h$3,941 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peopleA top city. Everything works, beautiful greenery (hehe), cycling everywhere, happy people, great nightlife... Lots to love about. For nomads? Not a chance. Price of housing is outrageous, and the city is expensive af. They charge you 4.5-5 eur for a capuccino, completely shameless. An hour of public transport is 3 euros. I could go on and on. I'd love to live there, but it's not worth it.
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 6° 43° 8° 46°AQI 21✈️8h$4,547 / mo🌇 Also went here6 people-Very well situated between the ocean and mountains -Cloudy winters -Not much snow -Large Asian minority -LGBTQ+ friendly -High quality of living -Very expensive -Very good nightlife -A lot of parks -A lot of outdoor activities -1 of the best education systems in the USA -Healthcare is excellent -Good transit system
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 6° 43° 6° 44°AQI 52✈️13h$3,692 / mo🌇 Also went here5 peopleI've lived in New York City - Brooklyn - for over 20 years. For visiting tourists, the best neighborhood to stay in is NOT Bushwick. Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Ft. Green or Brooklyn Heights is preferable. Plenty of good transportation in those areas - subway, buses or Uber. Easy access to beaches in Long Island and New Jersey. There's plenty to do in NYC. Great restaurants, Broadway plays (!), and in the summer you frequently can catch a free concert.
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌧 Feels -1° 30° 1° 33°AQI 44✈️14h$4,715 / mo🌇 Also went here8 peopleI've been living in SF since 2014 and I have to say Cost of Living is misrepresented. It's a lot more expensive now (2020) than posted. 1-bdr in center is $3,500-$4,000 + $200-$300 for parking + $100-$200 for utilities. Almost impossible to find month-to-month rent, so this is for 1-year lease. Coffee for two + a pastry is easily $20. Dinner for two never less than $50, unless it's fast food (+20% tips are expected) and if you want actually something good it's at least $100 for two. Airbnb is $1
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 14° 57° 14° 57°AQI 46✈️14h$6,059 / mo🌇 Also went here6 peopleI spent 4 months working here during summertime. It's one of the best summers I have ever had in my life. The city is just amazing and offers dozens of outdoor activities. There are so many different places such as parks, lakes, hills, mountains, beaches, etc. Also, you can feel the Californication vibe on every step. I lived in Hollywood and I would avoid this place at any cost. It's just too overrated and won't meet your expectations. Hollywood (esp. West Hollywood) is a big pile of dirtiness
⭐️ All 💵 Cost 📡 😀 Fun 👮 Safety 🌥 Feels 23° 73° 23° 73°AQI 38✈️15h$4,496 / mo🌇 Also went here7 peopleNo members are here right now. If you are, add it as a trip and you'll show up here!
