Skip to content

Bookmark Nomada·⌘D / Ctrl+D

nomada.tools
Newsletter

China · Asia

Chengdu

Best for: Sichuan-basin nomads who want the food-capital lifestyle and can navigate the visa friction.

Mid-tier monthly cost

Full breakdown

$1,700/mo

  • Rent$750
  • Groceries$300
  • Dining out$280
  • Transport$60
  • Utilities$130
  • Coworking$180

Climate at a glance

Year heatmap

Humid subtropical (Sichuan basin)

Best months

  • J
  • F
  • M
  • A
  • M
  • J
  • J
  • A
  • S
  • O
  • N
  • D

Annual range: 6°–26°C

FIRE math at this cost

Run scenarios

Annual spend

$20,400

FIRE target (4% SWR)

$510,000

Coast-FIRE @ 7%/30yr

$66,997

Editorial estimates using the standard 4% Trinity-study rule. Run the FIRE calculator for sequence-of-returns risk, custom withdrawal rates, and country-specific tax assumptions.

Visa for nomads

Low nomad-friendly

Pathway

Skilled-worker only

Program

—

Typical max stay

12 months

No DNV — Z visa or work permit required for any genuine long stay; tourist visas (typically 30-day) require visa runs.

Visa concierges

Editorial summary, not legal advice. Verify with the relevant consulate before applying — visa programs change with little notice.

Field notes

Sichuan capital and arguably the food capital of China. No DNV — Z visa or work permit required for any genuine long stay; 30-day tourist visas mean visa runs. Tianfu (south district) is the modern tech and serviced-apartment pocket; Wuhou and Jinjiang are the older walkable cores. Air quality is materially worse than coastal China — the Sichuan basin traps haze, especially November–February. Cheap by Tier-1 China standards, and the panda-base / Tibetan-edge access is real.

The Sichuan basin traps haze and overcast — Chengdu has among the lowest annual sunshine hours of any major Chinese city. Hot humid summers (June–August, peak 26°C with high humidity), cool damp winters (Jan 6°C average, no snow). Spring and autumn shoulders are the comfort windows. Air quality is materially worse than coastal China.

Similar bases

Build your stack for Chengdu