Chengdu
China · Asia · 21M people
Laid-back Chinese megacity known for pandas, teahouses and spicy food.
Ranked #133 of 303 overall · 30.57, 104.07
Overview
Chengdu, China, is home to about 21 million residents and has built a reputation that goes beyond its size. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. It's a city that tends to fly under the radar compared to its country's biggest names, without being any less livable for it. People who choose to settle in Chengdu tend to point to a genuinely affordable cost of living, a strong sense of safety, and solid infrastructure for remote work as the deciding factors. Within the 76 cities we track in Asia, the regional average sits at 6.5/10, which puts Chengdu's 6.7/10 comfortably ahead of the regional norm. On CityMatch, Chengdu scores 6.7/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #133 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is safety at 8/10, while environment & air quality is its softest spot at 4/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Reasonable day-to-day costs.
Low crime, easy to feel at ease.
Air quality dips at certain times of year.
Public transport covers the basics well.
A normal seasonal mix, nothing extreme.
Solid, unremarkable healthcare access.
Remote work is a non-issue here.
Is Chengdu right for you?
Set your own priorities and see where it ranks against every city in the dataset.
Run the recommender →How are these scores calculated?
Every city on CityMatch is scored 1-10 on seven criteria — cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet — and those seven numbers are combined into the overall score shown throughout the site using a consistent, automated formula (an equal-weighted average by default, or your own weighting via the recommender tool). The same method is applied identically to every city, so scores are comparable across the full database.
Sources & data provenance
The current dataset is an internally curated starter dataset built for this version of the site, reflecting each city's general reputation on each criterion rather than a live feed from a single external provider. It is not yet sourced from a specific third-party API. If that changes, this section will be updated to name the exact sources in use.
Last updated: 17 July 2026
Strengths & trade-offs
Strengths
A 8/10 safety score puts Chengdu among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Internet and connectivity score 8/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
At 7/10, Chengdu is genuinely easy on the budget — one of the more affordable options for the lifestyle it offers.
Trade-offs
Environment and air quality score just 4/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Climate is the comparatively softer spot at 6/10 — pleasant enough, just not where Chengdu stands out most.
Is Chengdu safe?
Safety is a genuine strength of Chengdu, at 8/10. It's the kind of city where petty crime and serious crime alike are less of a daily concern than in most of the 303 cities we track.
At night
Walking at night is generally low-stress here, though sticking to lit, populated streets is always sensible advice anywhere.
For tourists
Tourists rarely report serious issues beyond the ordinary pickpocket risk that exists in any well-visited city — normal vigilance in crowded areas is enough.
For families
Safety, healthcare (7/10) and environment (4/10) together suggest a reasonable, if not exceptional, environment for families.
For solo travelers
Cities scoring this well on safety (8/10) are generally considered comfortable for solo travelers, though — as anywhere — checking current, specific local advice before a trip is always worth the ten minutes it takes.
On public transport
Public transport feels safe here too — safety (8/10) and transport quality (7/10) are both strong, a combination that generally makes getting around without a car low-stress.
Practical tips
- →Standard city awareness is genuinely enough here — no need for unusual precautions.
- →Keep half an eye on belongings in busy tourist spots, the same as anywhere.
What's the climate like in Chengdu?
Chengdu scores 6/10 on climate — pleasant enough for most of the year, without being a specific draw on its own.
Seasonal character
Expect a normal four-season rhythm (or a wet/dry split closer to the equator), without extremes dominating the calendar.
Comfort level
Comfort is generally good, with the odd day or short stretch that calls for planning ahead rather than year-round ease.
Best time to live here
Shoulder-season months (spring and autumn, broadly) tend to be the safest bet if you can choose when to visit or move.
Note: this reflects our single aggregate 1-10 climate score rather than month-by-month temperature, humidity or rainfall data, which we don't currently track — treat it as a general read rather than a forecast.
Quality of life in Chengdu
Put together, quality of life in Chengdu is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: at over 3 million people, chengdu moves at a genuine big-city pace — more anonymous, more options, but also more competition for space and time, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's more mixed and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
At over 3 million people, Chengdu moves at a genuine big-city pace — more anonymous, more options, but also more competition for space and time.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor and green-space time comes with more caveats here — environment (4/10) and climate (6/10) scores suggest it's more weather- and air-quality-dependent than in higher-scoring cities.
Getting around
Transport (7/10) covers most needs reasonably well, with occasional gaps a bike or rideshare fills in easily.
Culture & leisure
Chengdu isn't specifically marketed on culture or nightlife in our data, which usually means a more everyday, less tourist-oriented pace of life — good for routine, less exciting for a short visit.
Based on its actual score profile, Chengdu tends to suit people who prioritize safety and internet & connectivity over environment & air quality — see "Who Chengdu suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Chengdu?
Chengdu scores 4/10 on environment, suggesting air quality dips at certain times of year — a reasonable proxy for a public realm that's serviceable rather than pristine.
Public spaces
We don't have a dedicated public-space or waste-management score — the environment figure above (driven mainly by air quality) is the best available proxy, and it suggests room for improvement in at least some areas.
Infrastructure maintenance
General infrastructure maintenance isn't a criterion we score independently, so treat any specific claims about road quality, public bins, or graffiti with caution unless they come from a recent, first-hand source.
The "environment" score behind all of this is CityMatch's single combined measure of air quality and general environmental conditions — 10 meaning consistently clean air, 1 meaning significant pollution. It doesn't separately break out waste management, noise, or visual upkeep, which aren't part of our current dataset.
Who Chengdu suits
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 6.9/10 here).
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 6.8/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 7.0/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 7.0/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
Chengdu scores 7/10 on affordability — not cheap, but reasonable: expect a moderate budget to cover a comfortable, unremarkable lifestyle.
Safety
Safety is one of Chengdu's clearest strengths, scoring 8/10 — the kind of place where walking home at night or letting kids out alone doesn't require much second-guessing.
Climate
Chengdu's climate scores 6/10 — a decent mix of seasons without extremes in either direction.
Quality of life
Chengdu scores 6.7/10 overall, but that average hides a real spread: safety (8/10) is genuinely strong, while environment & air quality (4/10) pulls the picture down considerably. The average across all seven criteria is 6.7/10.
Transport
Transport in Chengdu scores 7/10 — workable public options exist, though a bike or occasional car still helps for some routes.
Internet & remote work
Remote work is well supported here: Chengdu scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, with fast, reliable connections in most neighborhoods.
Why choose Chengdu?
Chengdu makes the most sense if safety matters more to you than environment & air quality — at 6.7/10 overall, it's a solid rather than perfect pick, and the trade-offs above are worth weighing against your own priorities rather than the headline score alone.
Featured in these rankings
You may also like
Wuhan
China · Asia
Central Chinese river hub and one of the country's biggest student cities.
Xi'an
China · Asia
Ancient former imperial capital, home to the Terracotta Army.
Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia · Asia
Multicultural capital with modern transit and tropical humidity.
Almaty
Kazakhstan · Asia
Mountain-backed former capital with a smog problem in winter inversions.
Daegu
South Korea · Asia
South Korea's textile hub, more affordable than the capital.
Continue exploring
Best cities in China
Cities with a similar climate
Safer alternatives
Cheaper alternatives
Comparable quality of life
If you're interested in Chengdu, you may also compare:
Frequently asked questions
Is Chengdu safe?
Yes — Chengdu scores 8/10 on safety, among the higher end of the 303 cities we track. Normal city awareness is enough for most visitors and residents.
What budget do I need to live in Chengdu?
Chengdu scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Chengdu good for families?
Chengdu is a reasonable family option — safety (8/10) and healthcare (7/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is Chengdu a good city for students?
Chengdu isn't specifically known as a student hub, but its affordability (7/10) and transport (7/10) scores make it a workable option.
Is Chengdu suitable for digital nomads?
Chengdu isn't specifically marketed to remote workers, but the fundamentals are there: internet scores 8/10 and cost of living 7/10.
What's the climate like in Chengdu?
Chengdu scores 6/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Chengdu pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Chengdu scores 6/10 on climate and 4/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Chengdu a good choice for a first move abroad?
It's a reasonable choice for a first move: safety, healthcare, transport and environment average out to 6.5/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Chengdu?
Yes — Chengdu scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Chengdu a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 7.0/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Chengdu?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Wuhan and Xi'an are the closest matches to Chengdu in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Chengdu worth living in?
Reasonably — Chengdu scores 6.7/10 overall, a solid if unremarkable all-round profile. Whether it's "worth it" depends more on which specific criteria matter most to you than on the average alone.
Who should move to Chengdu?
Based on its score profile, Chengdu suits people who value safety and internet & connectivity more than the average mover — see the "Who Chengdu suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Chengdu walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Chengdu scores 7/10 on transport, covering most day-to-day needs without being a standout transit city.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Chengdu?
Safety is Chengdu's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Chengdu?
Environment & air quality is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 4/10 — the lowest of Chengdu's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.