Job Discussion Forums

[jondeg]

Hi ,
I am new here,My husband is trying to look for some jobs in China.
What is the cost of rent for one decent appartment ( 2 bedrooms ) in Shanghai or Pudong Shanghai ? What is the living cost will be ?
Is 10K RMB is enough for a family ?.

Is it possible to put the kids in Public School ? or better put them in bilingual School in China? What is the approximately tuition fees for a biligual School in China ? I speak mandarin so I think my kids will have no problem studying in China School.

Thank you
Jon.

[China.Pete]

"What is the cost of rent for one decent apartment (2 bedrooms) in Shanghai or Pudong...?" -- Jon Deg

That's really two different questions. Rents in Shanghai can vary quite a bit based on location. Apartments can be had for �2,500 to �3,000 per month in older developments and in areas that are further from the downtown. Expect things to get considerably more expensive--by at least �1,500 or more--as you get closer to the commercial center or the better neighborhoods of Pudong. Of course, there are always FTs who choose to pay �5,000 a month for a brand new one-bedroom apartment, even where others are paying �3,000 for two, just because they decide they want it and can afford it.

[Lobster]

Why the H E Double hockey sticks would you want to put your kids in a Chinese public school? Are you some kind of sadist? The saddest specimens I've seen in these institutions have to be the poor Koreans whose parents have hung them out to dry. Then again, maybe your kid would love the 3-subject curriculum, utter lack of social activities and 5 hours of homework every night after a day spent in a sterile classroom.

RED

[bearcanada]

10,000 RMB is quite enough for a family to live in Shanghai. You can live on less, or on much more, according to your income and your tastes.

A year ago I had a lovely and large 2-bedroom, fully-furnished apartment in a quite new complex that was all glass and marble and immaculate. The metro station was below my building, as was a huge supermarket. The complex had 3 swimming pools, an exercise room, coffee shop, dining room, family theater and lots of other stuff. It was about 1 hour from the Jing'An Temple - using 2 metro lines.

You can get into the downtown area in Puxi - from Zhongshan Park to the Bund, for 5,000 to 7,000 for nice apartments. The exact location will determine the price, as will the quality of the building. 2 minutes or 15 minutes from a metro station will change the price by 40% for the same house.

Shanghai has no shortage of apartments for rent, in every income range. Avoid anything priced in US$ because those are offered by locals trying to take advantage of foreigners who don't know better. Get a Chinese friend to go with you to the real estate offices.

You will usually have to pay a tw-month deposit plus your first month's rent, and you may have to pay half a mont's rent as a commission to the agent. Sometimes the owner pays it all, sometimes not.

Virtually all flats in Shanghai are fully furnished, but that does not include bedding or dishes and small things. Normally only a washing machine that uses cold water, and no dryer. They all have gas stoves and you will almost never find a kitchen with an oven - and that sucks.

Puxi is a lot more interesting than Pudong - which is on the other side of the river. Nothing wrong with it, and if you work there you may as well live there. But Puxi is a lot more interesting and transport is easy.

.

Take time to look around and you will find something that makes you happy.