Job Discussion Forums

[Mikeylikesit114]

I know that these cost of living threads have been beaten to death, but it seems that salaries and COL are increasing so fast that up to date info is really essential.

I may have an opportunity to teach University students in SZ for between 15000-20000 rmb per month. I am not sure whether housing is included. Can I live a comfortable lifestyle on this amount? I do not live a super extravagant lifestyle. I only drink occasionally, and do not mind eating noodles for half of the week. I would like to date, and eventually have a girlfriend though. Possibly take a trip or two during the summer holidays.
Is 15000-20000 per month sufficient with housing provided? Without housing provided?

[Plan B]

Yes, that's a pretty good salary in Shenzhen with or without housing, which will allow you to do much of what you specified as wanting to do, and a lot more - you should be able to go to decent restaurants for most of the week. Going out to fancy bars too often will eat heavily into your expenses, but again, should be within your salary range.

I am not sure which university you are planning to go to. Shenzhen University is in the Nanshan area, where you can pick up a decent, modern, yet small-ish apartment for 2000-2500 /month. Note, the initial payment is big, so make sure you come with enough money on arrival. You will typically need 3.5 * the monthly rent to pay up front (1st month's rent, 2 months deposit, half month to the agent). This being said, it would surprise me if a university didn't either offer you a place or give you a level of support.

[Mikeylikesit114]

Thanks for the info

[HunanForeignGuy]

Shenzhen is decidedly not cheap, at least by Chinese standards. It is more expensive then Guangzhou, its much larger northern neighbor, and just a tad less expensive than Hong Kong, its other neighbor. Prices are probably close to on a par with Shanghai and taxis are outrageously expensive.

It has a reputation in Guangdong for being a bit rough-and-tumble, so to speak, and street crime is decidedly a serious problem, although efforts have been made to clean it up a bit.

RMB 15 000 per month in Shenzhen is decidedly livable but sharks of all kinds abound. I would seriously do a lot of research on a prospective job in Shenzhen before accepting because of the unis have less-than-salubrious reputations at least in terms of how they deal with their FT's.

All that being said, one can find nearly everything one wants in Shenzhen in terms of Western commodities without having to make the Hong Kong trek.

[jwbhomer]

OP, you say you are considering a job "teaching university students". Do you mean teaching AT a university? Or do you mean teaching university students at a private school, or giving private lessons? 15-20K does not sound like a university salary, at least not an amount that Shenzhen University would pay. (As far as I know, SZU is still the only game in town.)

If you can get 15-20K per month, guaranteed, with accommodation included, by all means grab it. The same amount without accommodation should be OK depending on the degree of luxury in which you wish to live. Housing in SZ is expensive.

[Mikeylikesit114]

jwbhomer: I'd be teaching about 20 hrs a week at a University. The salary does seem high compared to other University jobs i've seen, but the job is kind of a unique situation. As far as I know the position hasn't been publicly advertised, I found out about it through a friend who is a prof at the University. I hope you understand the reasons for my vague description, as the application and negotiation process is still playing out. I'd be happy to share more details once i'm hired (or if I'm not).

hunanforeign guy: A question about your comments related to crime and safety. Is the street crime avoidable by taking precautions (staying in the good areas of Shenzhen, being careful at night, not getting drunk and stumbling home through some back alley, etc)?

[jwbhomer]

20 hours a week is higher than the usual university workload of 14-16 hours, but not enough higher to justify nearly double the going rate of pay. You should ask yourself: what's the catch?

Your comments about how to avoid street crime are common sense not just for Shenzhen but for any other large city. The toughest area of SZ for that kind of thing is Luohu. If you're at THE university you won't really need to go to Luohu; everything you would want can be found in the Nanshan and Shekou areas.

I understand your reluctance to give details of the prospective employer. I am aware that there is another GD university that has some classroom space and conducts courses in SZ. I trust you've used the search function here at Dave's to find comments on whatever school it is you're considering.

Good luck to you!