Nanjing
China · Asia · 9.3M people
Historic former capital with a large student population.
Ranked #85 of 303 overall · 32.06, 118.80
Overview
With a population of around 9.3 million, Nanjing is one of China's notable cities, part of the wider Asia region. It carries a strong student-city energy, with a young, transient population. Its reputation is built on history, architecture and a dense cultural calendar. People who choose to settle in Nanjing 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. Against its 76 tracked peers in Asia, Nanjing's 7.0/10 overall score sits 0.5 points above the regional average of 6.5. On CityMatch, Nanjing scores 7.0/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #85 of 303 cities in our database. Its strongest single criterion is safety at 8/10, while environment & air quality is its softest spot at 5/10 — the full breakdown, honest trade-offs, and who this city actually suits are below.
Full scorecard
Comfortable on a moderate budget.
Consistently rated among the safer picks.
Worth checking seasonal pollution patterns.
Dense, reliable public transport.
Reasonably comfortable year-round.
Standard care access, nothing exceptional.
Fast, reliable connectivity.
Is Nanjing 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 Nanjing among the more reassuring cities to walk around, day or night.
Public transport scores 8/10, dense enough that skipping a car is realistic for most residents.
Internet and connectivity score 8/10, making remote work a non-issue rather than a workaround.
Trade-offs
Environment and air quality score just 5/10 — a real consideration if pollution affects you personally.
Climate is the comparatively softer spot at 6/10 — pleasant enough, just not where Nanjing stands out most.
Is Nanjing safe?
Nanjing scores 8/10 on safety — one of the more reassuring cities in our database. Most residents and visitors report feeling comfortable with ordinary city awareness rather than specific precautions.
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 (5/10) 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 (8/10) 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 Nanjing?
Climate here (6/10) is comfortably in the "fine, not exceptional" range — a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
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 Nanjing
Put together, quality of life in Nanjing is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: with a large student population, nanjing has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest, paired with an outdoor/environment picture that's generally favorable and transport that's genuinely workable.
Pace & lifestyle
With a large student population, Nanjing has a younger, more transient energy than its size alone would suggest.
Nature & outdoors
Outdoor time is reasonably pleasant, with environment (5/10) and climate (6/10) scores that don't get in the way, without being a specific draw either.
Getting around
Getting around is one of Nanjing's clearer strengths (8/10) — day-to-day life doesn't really require a car.
Culture & leisure
Nanjing is specifically known for its cultural and historical scene — museums, architecture and a dense calendar of things to do are part of its identity, not an afterthought.
Based on its actual score profile, Nanjing tends to suit people who prioritize safety and public transport over environment & air quality — see "Who Nanjing suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Nanjing?
Environment (5/10) points to some real seasonal pollution patterns worth knowing about if air quality affects you personally.
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 Nanjing suits
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 7.3/10 here).
Student
Students — students who need affordability, transit and a lively social scene (fit score 7.2/10 here).
Entrepreneur
Entrepreneurs — founders and small business owners who need reliable connectivity and a livable base without big-city costs (fit score 7.2/10 here).
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 7.2/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
At 7/10 for cost of living, Nanjing lands in a middle ground where costs are manageable without being a bargain.
Safety
At 8/10 on our safety score, Nanjing ranks among the more secure cities we track, which tends to matter most for families and first-time movers.
Climate
Weather here (6/10) is reasonably pleasant most of the year, with a normal seasonal cycle rather than anything punishing.
Quality of life
What stands out about Nanjing is how even its scorecard is — no criterion drags the average down much, giving a global score of 7.0/10 built on safety as the high point and environment & air quality as the lowest. The average across all seven criteria is 7.0/10.
Transport
Nanjing's public transport scores 8/10, dense and reliable enough that most residents don't think twice about skipping a car.
Internet & remote work
At 8/10 for internet, Nanjing is squarely in "video-call without worrying about it" territory.
Why choose Nanjing?
Nanjing isn't the right fit for everyone, but for the right profile — someone who values safety and can live with environment & air quality — it scores well at 7.0/10 overall. Use the comparisons and rankings below to see how it stacks up against the alternatives.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Nanjing safe?
Yes — Nanjing 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 Nanjing?
Nanjing scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Nanjing good for families?
Nanjing is a reasonable family option — safety (8/10) and healthcare (7/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is Nanjing a good city for students?
Yes, Nanjing is tagged as a student city in our database — affordability (7/10) and transport (8/10) both matter for that, and both are workable here.
Is Nanjing suitable for digital nomads?
Nanjing 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 Nanjing?
Nanjing scores 6/10 on climate — a normal seasonal mix without real extremes.
Is Nanjing pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Nanjing scores 6/10 on climate and 5/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Nanjing 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 7.0/10 here, a fairly forgiving combination for someone settling in for the first time.
Is the internet good enough for remote work in Nanjing?
Yes — Nanjing scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Nanjing 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 Nanjing?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Wuhan and Xi'an are the closest matches to Nanjing in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Nanjing worth living in?
Reasonably — Nanjing scores 7.0/10 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 Nanjing?
Based on its score profile, Nanjing suits people who value safety and public transport more than the average mover — see the "Who Nanjing suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Nanjing walkable, and is public transport good?
Yes — Nanjing scores 8/10 on transport, dense and reliable enough that a car is genuinely optional for most residents.
What's the biggest advantage of living in Nanjing?
Safety is Nanjing's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Nanjing?
Environment & air quality is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 5/10 — the lowest of Nanjing's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.