| View previous topic :: View next topic |
| Author |
Message |
naturegirl321
Joined: 04 May 2003
Posts: 9041
Location: home sweet home
|
 Posted: Wed Feb 15, 2012 11:17 am Post subject: |
 |
|
| Mister Al wrote: |
Rent 1 or 2 bedroom decent apartment 2500-3000
Our ayi comes in 3 times a week for 3-4 hours, cleans, laundry. shops and cooks 700 pm + 200 or so for the food shopping
Plenty of fresh markets and a few big supermarkets
vibrant expat community
eating out lots of choices for all tastes/budgets
great place to live overall.
Where are you going to work? |
rent's covered by the school. Not saying where I'll be working  Gotta accept the job first. changes are happening at my school here and I need to see what the better option is. |
|
| Back to top |
|
 |
weigookin742011
Joined: 05 Jan 2012
Posts: 12
|
| Posted: Thu Feb 16, 2012 5:18 pm Post subject: |
|
|
| Wages decent in that area? I may look for a Korea to China jump myself in the future. But only if it's financially worth it. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Trebek
Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 401
Location: China
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 2:22 am Post subject: Prices in Suzhou |
|
|
Hi Naturegirl,
I live in nearby Hangzhou and believe the prices to be about the same. Much cheaper than the huge cities but more expensive than many of the less developed places.
My apt is paid for. I make 5000 per month and usually have about 1500 kwai left over at the end of the month. I only work three days a week so I could easily earn more if I wanted. I do spend a lot of money on wine, ciggies, and bicycle stuff, many of my coworkers save twice what I do.
Fruits and veggies are cheap, plentiful and fresh. Pork, eggs, tofu, are all fresh and inexpensive. (one kg of oranges for 5 kwai or less) I generally cook my own stews and curries for dinner but I pay about 15 - 20 kwai for a decent lunch. Lunch at the schools' canteen is half that or less. Peanut butter is 14 kwai for a smallish jar, bread and jam are western prices but I still buy it. Milk is affordable. Not sure about diapers since most Chinese cut a slit in the crotch of their kids pants and let them go where they want (not recommending this of course).
Suzhou is a lovely city, but the climate is hot and humid during the summer during the summer (I'm from Dallas and it's less comfortable here). London weather for 4 months straight in the winter and unheated classrooms. The constant rain and lack of sun really affects me since I'm from a sunny climate. The pollution in Suzhou is pretty bad, not like Bejing or Shangers, but pretty damned smoggy. I still love the city, it's one of the more interesting cities in China.
Pm if you have any more questions. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
kev7161
Joined: 06 Feb 2004
Posts: 5880
Location: Suzhou, China
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 7:00 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Quote: |
| Suzhou is a lovely city, but the climate is hot and humid during the summer during the summer (I'm from Dallas and it's less comfortable here). London weather for 4 months straight in the winter and unheated classrooms. The constant rain and lack of sun really affects me since I'm from a sunny climate. The pollution in Suzhou is pretty bad, not like Bejing or Shangers, but pretty damned smoggy. I still love the city, it's one of the more interesting cities in China. |
Suzhou is a lovely city (I somewhat agree - - might become nicer once the majority of subway/street reconstruction work is done).
hot and humid summer climate (I agree - - much too humid)
London weather for 4 months straight (I agree - - it seems to be coming to its end any day now)
Unheated classrooms (well, depends on where you work I suppose - - my classroom is well heated [and well A/C] throughout the winter [hot months])
pollution is pretty bad (I don't know that I agree with this - - I'm in SND and there are certainly factories around, but once the rainy weather clears we have plenty of clean, blue skies. . . or maybe I've just grown accustomed to it)
I was just in Hangzhou last weekend and I feel both cities are more or less equal in costs, weather, and other things. However, I feel Hangzhou has way more traffic these days. The streets were so congested. Granted, it was a weekend so that may be a factor. Suzhou is rapidly heading that way though. Hoping the new subway system will alleviate some of this. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
Trebek
Joined: 30 Oct 2003
Posts: 401
Location: China
|
| Posted: Mon Mar 19, 2012 11:11 am Post subject: |
|
|
Kev, You seem to agree with just about everything I said regarding Suzhou, except the pollution and indoor heating.
Public Universities do not have indoor heating in Suzhou. Suzhou is below the offical "indoor heating zone" for public universities? Correct me if I am wrong about this.
The pollution isn't bad? I guess I visited on a fairly smoggy day, but I've never heard people remark on Suzhou's "frequent blue skies" before...
I agree: Hangzhou's traffic is a bit crazy... awful most of the time.
Ok, but since we seem to agree on most things Suzhou: Please assist the OP and give her a run down on the pricing situation. She wanted to know about that more than anything. |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
peewee1979
Joined: 30 Jun 2011
Posts: 167
Location: Once in China was enough. Burned and robbed by Delter and watching others get cheated was enough.
|
| Posted: Tue Mar 20, 2012 2:01 am Post subject: |
|
|
| Trebek wrote: |
Public Universities do not have indoor heating in Suzhou. Suzhou is below the offical "indoor heating zone" for public universities? Correct me if I am wrong about this.
|
I work in a public university in Suzhou and all my classrooms have AC/heater. Of course getting them turned on or off to MY LIKES is another thing now.
I have been around China to many different cities - Suzhou ranks high in my opinion.
Maybe I'll get to meet Kev one day! Hey Kev come to the Drunken Clam Saturday March 24th for comedy night. 9pm. (Comedy Night @ The Drunken Clam (#77 Shi Quan Jie)) |
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
FAQ
Search
Memberlist
Usergroups
Register
Profile
Log in to check your private messages
Log in
