Job Discussion Forums

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

It seems every other post here at Dave's talks about salaries. What is a "decent" salary, what is acceptable, what is too low, etc. etc. Everyone seems to have their take but this poll isn't really to find out how MUCH is enough for you but rather what your money goes towards. Some people come to China for a little working vacation so pretty much any amount is just pocket change for the adventure. Others come hoping for a decent enough salary to be able to live somewhat comfortable while others hope to live a really nice lifestyle here and maybe sock away some for later years. It's all anonymous folks so vote away.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

Good question, I think. For me, it has changed a lot. After my second year, including working most of the first summer (didn't go home), I had close to 100,000 saved and was travelling, sending just enough back home to pay student loans and survive when I went back. I was living like a laowai, I had no thoughts of staying. Make the extra kuai, and spend it!

Now I married a wife, maybe 50,000 for her health bills, travelling little, and spending more time at home with friends, especially Chinese friends. Money isn't going towards living like a laowai anymore. I want to save enough to buy a house and also contribute to some do good ventures I am starting. I still want to travel to many places, but more important things come up

AussieGuyInChina · Joined: 23 Nov 2006 Posts: 403

Sinobear · Joined: 24 Aug 2004 Posts: 1269 Location: Purgatory

Oooooh! AGIC does have a sense of humor, after all!

Kev, sorry to say it, but your poll is missing certain choices:

1. You donate freely to the street urchins selling near-dead roses because street urchins world-wide are trying to better their lives through the distribution of near-dead roses in affluent areas of China's major cities.

2. You are working 24/7 to support a female companion who can be best compared to a cat...lazy, self-centered, and oblivious to your own needs.

3. Working for free because China is a third world country in desperate need of Christian relief. Please ignore all BMWs, Mercs and Range Rovers...they are merely a figment of your imagination.

4. Making enough money to actually feel guilty about because it's above the minimum wage in your home country (or a dirt farmer in the middle of Guanxi Province) and you only show movies or play music for it (as opposed to the monkeys who actually have to dance for it).

Just a few suggestions for your poll design.

Cheers!

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

I think those would all fall under the category of "other" - - or maybe a separate poll altogether! Wink

Anda · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Posts: 2199 Location: Jiangsu Province

Well I have a little debt that I still owe back in OZ but I have the money to pay it now. However my college is moving and changing subjects so I have to find a new position come July. So I have to hold on to the money in case I run into big expenses when I move.

I have been on 4,500 RMB a month for two years now and have lived okay but I would say 8,000 and above is needed to live a good life here. Oh, and that is after accommodation and paid utilities.

4,500 doesn't go far if you want to get a few things like a good computer, TV etc. I want to buy in a bit of stuff to assist with my teaching but when you start ordering stuff from the West then you need to be earning decent money. I would think nothing of it in South Korea but here when I went to Shanghai and looked at the prices I had to shake my head on what I earn.

arioch36 · Joined: 21 Jan 2003 Posts: 3589

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

167 views and 15 poll votes. There are a LOT of lurkers on Dave's! Confused

sde · Joined: 13 Mar 2008 Posts: 5

Thanks Anda for being the only one who actually provided real information Smile

. I'm thinking about going overseas to teach for the first time this year and how much I should be looking to earn etc. is great to know. Anyone else who could post similar information for newbs would be greatly appreciated!

Kev... I voted.

ShanghaiSurprise · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 47 Location: Korea...soon China

Kev,

I read your topic every time I come onto the site (which is at least once a day) however I don't give an answer to the poll.

The reason? Well, because I'm not in China so I can't give an answer that would matter. hehe However, I'm coming to Shanghai so I have interest in reading the thread.

So you can count several of the views as MINE... maybe 10 of them.

So now you have 157 views and 15 poll votes. The ratio just improved dramatically. Smile

ShanghaiSurprise · Joined: 03 Mar 2008 Posts: 47 Location: Korea...soon China

Kev,

If it helps, I think you would really assist the readers if you told them the type of debt you have. As Anda pointed out, living in China isn't too hard for a teacher, but paying for things in foreign currencies is what gets difficult.

I want to pay a lot of debt in Canada, so the only way I would go to China would be if I can earn around 15000 RMB. That's a lot, but that's the truth behind things because I owe a lot of money.

I have spent a LOT of time searching for jobs and really negotiating with recruiters, and that's why I finally got what I was looking for.

However, if I couldn't get a high-paying job and I needed to pay bills back home, I'd 100% go through all the crap of getting a job in South Korea for 1 year before coming to China.

In my opinion, China offers far more in terms of quality of life than South Korea based on the problems with getting ripped off by Korean employers as well as dealing with Korean immigration for getting a VISA. Because of all that, I'd rather be in China, and I think I'll also enjoy it more. But with that said, South Korea pays higher salaries and tutoring on the side, although illegal, pays a HUGE amount so even 1 or 2 hours a week can give you a significant salary boost.

If you need to pay debt, I don't think China is the place. But as soon as your debt is cleared and you can just work to support your life, then you'll probably LOVE being in China.

That's just my opinion based on someone in North America that has done a great deal of research into the markets.

Cheers, and I hope it helped even a little.

kev7161 · Joined: 06 Feb 2004 Posts: 5880 Location: Suzhou, China

Wonderful Yunqi!! · Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 111 Location: With the Lord.

� earn a bit more than 12k each month and am happy. After taxes and bills, I usually have 8k to spend.

If I lived like a local man, I'd be well off.

Wonderful Yunqi!! · Joined: 06 Jan 2008 Posts: 111 Location: With the Lord.

� earn a bit more than 12k each month and am happy. After taxes and bills, I usually have 8k to spend. I took a cut in pay in order to secure this position. University life is much better than milling about like sheep.

If I lived like a local man, I'd be well off.

Yunqi

7969 · Joined: 26 Mar 2003 Posts: 5782 Location: Coastal Guangdong

my salary (a bit over the RMB5000/month mark) is used for month to month spending primarily, a bit of travel in china, and i give a some of it to my gf (1000-1500 per month) as she has a small debt to pay from a business venture that failed (she started another business with some former colleagues now and works twice as hard as i do so i dont mind helping her out a bit).

at any rate, i'm in my early 40s, debt free, have a pile of money in a foreign account, and receive about RMB8600 monthly (guaranteed) from an investment i made previously back home. i save most of that, except 3-4 times a year i go on a mini-spending spree... last weekend in Hong kong i splashed out $1500 for a Nikon D200 camera and a few other items i needed.

in the right circumstances, and with a bit of planning, the smaller salaries in china can easily lead to a decent life. i dont plan on working after this term ends (thats my plan right now anyway) since i want to spend more time on photography and try to explore ways of making money from that if i can.