Chef Salary in China (2026) — Average Pay by City

Chef pay in China: Shanghai leads, Chengdu trails

The China national median for a chef is ¥380,000 a year. Among 6 metros with observed data, pay runs from about ¥198,000 in Chengdu to ¥309,000 in Shanghai (1.6×).

Chefs plan menus, prepare food, and lead kitchen teams. Common screening skills include Cooking, Menu design, Leadership, and Food safety.

A modeled national band runs about ¥243,200–¥547,200 around that midpoint. Licensing and immigration rules are independent of this cash sort. Employment outlook for the occupation is sketched at +5% over a decade — a national demand guess, not a hiring guarantee in every Chinese city.

Shanghai sits -19% vs the national median; Chengdu sits -48%. Relocating inside China for this title can move cash more than a small raise at the same desk. Open a city page for take-home and rent context — this national page is the map, not the offer.

China shows about 0.1% CPI in 2025. A chef raise that trails inflation is a real-pay cut even if it still beats last year’s peers. This occupation is also covered in 39 other countries — useful for remote or relocation shortlists, after FX and local tax. Nearby skilled trades titles on this site include Electrician, Plumber, Carpenter, and Welder.

How to use Chef pay data in China

Start with the national median (¥380,000), then pick the metro where you would actually work. Observed city rows below are stronger than a pay-index guess. If your city is missing, stay on this page for the country figure and check the China hub for other careers.

Convert gross through the salary calculator before comparing two cities — tax and rent often reorder a cash ranking. Figures are estimates for research, not employer bands.

National band vs top metro

National sketch: ¥243,200 (10th) → ¥380,000 (median) → ¥547,200 (90th). Shanghai’s observed median is ¥309,000, with a local band about ¥215,000–¥442,000. If an offer is “at the China median” but the job is in Shanghai, you may still be under local market.

Chef salary by city in China

Cities below have observed metro percentiles for this role. Prefer these over national-only estimates when you are relocating to a specific market.

City	Per year	Per month	vs. national
Shanghai, CN	$45,872	$3,830	-19%
Beijing, CN	$43,793	$3,652	-22%
Shenzhen, CN	$39,785	$3,310	-29%
Guangzhou, CN	$36,371	$3,028	-36%
Hangzhou, CN	$33,698	$2,806	-40%
Chengdu, CN	$29,393	$2,449	-48%

Frequently asked questions

How much does a chef make in China?

The national median is about ¥380,000 per year. Across 6 observed cities, pay ranges from about ¥198,000 to ¥309,000.

Which China city pays chefs the most?

Shanghai, CN leads observed metros at about ¥309,000 per year (-19% vs national).

Which China city pays chefs the least?

Among observed cities, Chengdu, CN is on the lower end at about ¥198,000 per year.

How many China cities have chef salary data?

6 metros list observed chef percentiles in CNY on this site.

Is chef in demand in China?

Occupation-level employment is projected at about +5% over ten years. Local hiring still follows Chinese industry mix.

Chef Salary in China