What to Bring when Moving to China?

When did you decide to move to China, besides your personal items, what you need to bring with you? Or what things are easily available in China? It’s depending on the region where you will be living in China.

Big cities like Beijing provide almost everything you need. However, smaller cities have less access to Western products. Here is the list of items that are easily available in Western countries but difficult to find in China. 

What things are hard to find in Beijing?

While packing your bag for moving to China, you may need to get extra items that are hard to find in China. Although Beijing has many Western supermarkets and stores, some Western products are a bit difficult to find. Sometimes, only a few Western brands are available, but the prices are very high.

I am sure everyone has their list of items they want to take from their home countries. My list includes several common things and maybe a couple of things that are weird to some people. Here are the items:

• Body lotion: In Beijing, it gets very dry in the winter season, so you should carry a body lotion.
• Favorite Deodorant: The Western stores in Beijing may sell some brands but local stores don’t have. It may be hard to find your favorite deodorant in Beijing, so should carry your favorite deodorant in your bag. 
• Face Cream: Most Chinese beauty products contain whiteners and the light skin tone is considered the ideal beauty. 
• Skin Care: There are many brands available but most people bring all their skincare products from their home country. 
• Cosmetics: All cosmetics brands are available in Beijing, but the color tones are suitable for the Asian types of light skin. And the quality may not be the same as the abroad items. 
• Coffee: Most foreigners bring their favorite coffee to China. You can also get the coffee beans from some Western stores but maybe not find your favorite brand. While coffee is expensive in China. 
• Grape Jelly: There are Peanut butter and jams available in Beijing but no pure grape jelly. 
• Shoes and Warm insoles: If you have big feet, you should also carry your shoes and warm insole to China.
• Hair coloring Supplies: If you can color your hair yourself, you should bring your hair coloring goods to Beijing. 
• Vitamins and Medications: Many types of vitamins and OTC products are available in Western clinics but sometimes these medicines don’t work as well. 
• Seeds for Kitchen Herbs: It is tough to find Thai basil in Beijing, so you can bring some seeds for kitchen herbs and grow them yourself. 
• Favorite dried Herbs and Spices: The common spices are easily available in Western stores but several special herbs and spices are hard to buy in China. 
• Your favorite Snacks: You may not find your favorite snacks and sweets in Beijing.
• Brita water filters: Luckily the water filters are available here but they are very expensive. 

You should create and keep your list. It will make it easy to get your required items when your friends come from your home country or you plan a home back trip. 

More things to consider when getting stuff

China has specific sizes or standards for household goods so several items from the US may not go well here. 

Electricity is 220V/50Hz

In China the electricity is 220V/50Hz, therefore most Western appliances would not work here. Typical outlets take the US two-spike flat and European two-spike round plugs along with Chinese three-spike plugs, but not the US three-spike plug, which is common on certain computer power cables. I use a European plug converter to plug into the Chinese outlet. For European getting, any appliances are much easier. 

Different Mattress sizes 

In China mattress sizes are different and US bed sizes may not well-matched. Normally the bed sizes for single are 200×90 cm and for double are 200×180 cm. Americans may not understand the sizes in cm, so you can use an online converter to check the Chinese sizes. 

If you want to bring some other items from your home country to China, please share it with us in the comment below. Also mention the items you would not like to bring to China.