Xi'an
China · Asia · 13M people
Ancient former imperial capital, home to the Terracotta Army.
Ranked #156 of 303 overall · 34.34, 108.94
Overview
Xi'an sits in China, on the Asian continent, home to roughly 13 million people. Its reputation is built on history, architecture and a dense cultural calendar. Part of its draw is that it's genuinely affordable to live in. People who choose to settle in Xi'an 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, Xi'an's 6.6/10 overall score sits 0.1 points above the regional average of 6.5. On CityMatch, Xi'an scores 6.6/10 overall across cost of living, safety, environment, transport, climate, healthcare and internet, ranking #156 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
Comfortable on a moderate budget.
Consistently rated among the safer picks.
Worth checking seasonal pollution patterns.
Workable without being exceptional.
Not everyone's ideal climate.
Standard care access, nothing exceptional.
Fast, reliable connectivity.
Is Xi'an 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 Xi'an 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, Xi'an 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 hardest trade-off here at 5/10 — expect genuinely difficult weather for part of the year.
Is Xi'an safe?
Xi'an 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 (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 Xi'an?
Climate (5/10) is a moderate trade-off here, not severe, but not something to move for either.
Seasonal character
Seasons here are more pronounced — at least one part of the year leans notably hot, cold, or wet compared with the rest.
Comfort level
Comfort varies meaningfully by season — some months are genuinely pleasant, others require real adjustment.
Best time to live here
Timing matters more here — researching the specific hottest, coldest or wettest months before committing is worth the effort.
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 Xi'an
Put together, quality of life in Xi'an is shaped less by any single number and more by the combination: at over 3 million people, xi'an 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, Xi'an 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 (5/10) 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
Xi'an 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, Xi'an tends to suit people who prioritize safety and internet & connectivity over environment & air quality — see "Who Xi'an suits" above for the specific profiles that fit best.
How clean is Xi'an?
Environment (4/10) 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 Xi'an suits
Freelancer
Freelancers — independent workers balancing cost of living against healthcare access (fit score 6.7/10 here).
Budget-conscious mover
Budget-conscious movers — movers for whom affordability outweighs every other factor (fit score 6.6/10 here).
Young professional
Young professionals — early-career movers who want nightlife and transit within budget, without yet prioritizing healthcare or climate (fit score 6.8/10 here).
Expat
Expats — expatriates relocating for work who lean on safety, healthcare and internet to stay settled and connected (fit score 6.8/10 here).
In depth
Cost of living
At 7/10 for cost of living, Xi'an lands in a middle ground where costs are manageable without being a bargain.
Safety
At 8/10 on our safety score, Xi'an ranks among the more secure cities we track, which tends to matter most for families and first-time movers.
Climate
Xi'an scores 5/10 on climate, so pack for genuine seasons rather than assuming mild weather year-round.
Quality of life
Quality of life in Xi'an is uneven rather than uniformly good or bad — a 6.6/10 average built on a clear high point in safety and a clear weak point in environment & air quality. The average across all seven criteria is 6.6/10.
Transport
At 7/10 for transport, Xi'an covers the basics reasonably well without being a transit showcase.
Internet & remote work
At 8/10 for internet, Xi'an is squarely in "video-call without worrying about it" territory.
Why choose Xi'an?
The short version: choose Xi'an for its safety, and go in with clear eyes about environment & air quality. Its 6.6/10 overall score reflects that balance rather than an unqualified recommendation.
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Frequently asked questions
Is Xi'an safe?
Yes — Xi'an 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 Xi'an?
Xi'an scores 7/10 on cost of living — a moderate budget is enough for a comfortable lifestyle, without it being a bargain destination.
Is Xi'an good for families?
Xi'an is a reasonable family option — safety (8/10) and healthcare (7/10) are solid enough, without being standout strengths.
Is Xi'an a good city for students?
Xi'an isn't specifically known as a student hub, but its affordability (7/10) and transport (7/10) scores make it a workable option.
Is Xi'an suitable for digital nomads?
Xi'an 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 Xi'an?
Xi'an scores 5/10 on climate, meaning a proper seasonal swing including a stretch of weather most people wouldn't call ideal.
Is Xi'an pleasant to live in year-round?
Reasonably — Xi'an scores 5/10 on climate and 4/10 on environment, a fair rather than exceptional combination across the year.
Is Xi'an 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 Xi'an?
Yes — Xi'an scores 8/10 on internet and connectivity, comfortably enough for video calls and day-to-day remote work.
Is Xi'an a good place to retire?
It has real appeal for retirees: healthcare, climate and safety average out to 6.7/10 here — the three criteria that tend to matter most for that stage of life.
What are good alternatives to Xi'an?
Based on continent, tags and overall score, Chengdu and Wuhan are the closest matches to Xi'an in our database — worth comparing directly if you're still deciding.
Is Xi'an worth living in?
Reasonably — Xi'an scores 6.6/10 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 Xi'an?
Based on its score profile, Xi'an suits people who value safety and internet & connectivity more than the average mover — see the "Who Xi'an suits" section above for the specific profiles (families, digital nomads, students, etc.) that fit best.
Is Xi'an walkable, and is public transport good?
Reasonably — Xi'an 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 Xi'an?
Safety is Xi'an's standout strength, scoring 8/10 — the highest of its seven criteria on CityMatch.
What's the biggest downside of living in Xi'an?
Environment & air quality is the clearest trade-off, scoring just 4/10 — the lowest of Xi'an's seven criteria, and worth weighing against its strengths.