China vs India
Two places, side by side — for anyone weighing where to move.
Cost of living
monthly median · solo budget
Cost in the three biggest cities
Between the two, India is cheaper — $824/mo vs $1,100/mo. China is pricier than 15 of 22 Asian countries; India is cheaper than 21 of 22 Asian countries.
Safety
safety index
Between the two, China is safer — 3.3/5 vs 1.0/5. China is safer than 16 of 22 Asian countries; India is less safe than 21 of 22 Asian countries.
Getting around
transit & transport systems
Between the two, China scores higher on mobility — 3.3/5 vs 2.0/5. China is easier to get around than 16 of 22 Asian countries; India is harder to get around than 15 of 22 Asian countries.
Culture
cultural depth
Top cultural centers
Between the two, India scores higher on culture — 3.6/5 vs 3.5/5. China is richer in culture than 15 of 21 Asian countries; India is richer in culture than 16 of 21 Asian countries.
Passport reach
what the passport opens
China's passport reaches 52 destinations visa-free to India's 26 — China opens more doors without a visa. Passport strength shifts over years of naturalisation, not months of planning, so it's a long-horizon footnote — not scored in the tally.
Airports
international connectivity
Between the two, China is better connected — 755M passengers/yr vs 324M passengers/yr. China is busier than 85 of 87 countries worldwide; India is busier than 84 of 87 countries worldwide. China sees ~53 air passengers per 100 residents a year; India sees ~24 air passengers per 100 residents a year — a derived figure, not itself ranked.
Climate
where most people live · °C
Extremes — coldest Harbin -34°C
Extremes — coldest Srinagar -16°C
China runs -10°C to 37°C for most people; India runs 11°C to 41°C for most people. Harbin runs colder, at -34°C; Srinagar runs colder, at -16°C. Depends on you — which range fits your tolerance is the real question here, not a score.