Job Discussion Forums

[captain kirk]

i'm in korea now, worked here six years, in four months coming to china. what percentage of your monthly school wage pay do you manage to save. job offers mention the low cost of living in china. but an aussie i know said she spent all the money she made in china 'trying to live'. maybe she meant 'living to party'. i'm hoping you'll say about half of your wage it's possible to save, which would be the same as here, in korea.
cheers

[Ferne]

captain, that REALLY depends on your salary, location...and lifestyle!

[Minhang Oz]

Captain Kirk, China's a bit the same as sex. You'll never find out what it's like by asking other people. You've got to try it, and then everyone's experience will be different.
So give China a go; I'm sure there will still be plenty of jobs in Korea if you don't like it.

[travesty21]

I will give you an answer. I went out oh probably twice a week.Yeah, I am not like some people. And ate out at least once a day and was able to save about 5/6 to 4/6 of my salary. It is easy and cheap as long as you don't go to the hotels to eat and drink, you don't spend money on Chinese women, and you just watch your money alittle. Then again I saw people piss away all there money in each month and by the end they were just waiting for that next paycheck.

[Cobra]

In Henan you can live like a King for 500 rmb per month. The rest you can bank.

[NumberOneSon]

I easily save 1/2 - 2/3 of what I make each month and I don't
really work hard at it. For example, I've bought a DVD player
and computer recently and regularly buy western food at stores
and in restaurants (of course, I fix a lot of my own meals, too,
especially breakfast, but it probably costs more than buying it
since I use real cheese in my omelets).

With rent and most utilities paid, I usually spend around 1500
rmb a month just goofing around. I find that the longer I'm
here, the less I spend once I have the "essentials", (like 2 or
3 hundred DVD's, and a dozen or so Chinese language books,
a regular supply of real cheese and coffee, etc.).

But, I am probably a bit extravagant. With very little effort,
I could get by on 1000 rmb or less a month. It's just that I
figure, "why not?".

After a year, I still have over half what I've earned saved
(and I have lived in fairly large cities in the North East with
a few million or more people each).

[gerard]

I managed to save a nice round number---0...Well actually I had the airfare bonus etc at the end of term which really are savings...Really I am surprised at somebody moving to China from S Korea wanting to know what they can save. If it's important---stay there and see China on the Korean holidays on package deals...Oh and live like a king on 500 RMB . Come on!!! I spent more-a lot more than that on cigarettes for God;s sake...OK you dont smoke but do you want to have any sort of an interesting time at all???

[Hamish]

[gerard]

Not to start a fight with you gentlemen on this but.....500 RMB is 60 US dollars. If we start a new thread called "60$ a Month a Fortune in China." how many would agree with you??? Yes I know it is possible to live on that...I did during SARS (but only because of SARS) ...I also know location means a lot. Free meals on campus all week can also keep costs down. 500 (for me) would be "saving up for that big trip" lifestyle . I would not be very happy though... I only mention this because Kirk is not here yet and may get a misleading picture. I did not save on 3500 because once a month I wanted to go to Shanghai or Suzhou or wherever and see the sights,shop and have some fun...If I gave that up I suppose I could have saved...although there was a lot even in my small town to spend on...Photography good meals massage music dating etc etc etc...

[goldstar]

I've been living here in Henan for two years, and