Job Discussion Forums

bdawg · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 526 Location: Nanjing

Howdy folks,

Newbie teacher here, out exploring possible teaching locations. What are the prices like in China? Rent, food, beer...stuff like that.

Thanx!

nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

howdy,

Just like everywhere else in the world, prices in China vary accordingly to your location. As a general rule, it is a hell of a lot cheaper to live here than in most other countries.

Foreign goods will be similar pricewise to what you see back home but the local stuff is dirt cheap.

a pair of glove: 12RMB on the street, 25RMB in the shop
a bottle of 2 L coke: 5 RMB
Campow Chicken at the restaurant: 10-12 RMB
a bowl of noodles : 2-6 RMB

a bottle of Stoly vodka 90 RMB at the store
a bottle of black Label: 180 RMB

beer is usually about 2 or 3 RMB /bottle

use the search button as this has been discussed many times over in the forums]

Kitegirl · Joined: 02 Jan 2004 Posts: 101 Location: Lugdunum Batavorum

Dude - brace yourself. People are going to jump your case big time for this Q. You may not new to teaching but check out the Newbie Forum anyway - the second announcement is - "Before you post" and reads:

"Has somebody else already asked your question? There's a good chance that, whatever you want to know, somebody has already asked about it. Have a browse through this forum and the General Discussions forum before you post, just to make sure you aren't duplicating somebody else's question."

I spent a few weeks dissecting all the relevant threads, and did dozens of searches before my first posting. To help you on your way - "cost + living + China" = 75 hits, "cost + China" = 234 hits, "prices + China" = 87 hits. And that's just a sample. Good luck with your research.

Roger · Joined: 19 Jan 2003 Posts: 9138

Yeah, better post on the Newbie forum because on this forum here we don't expect questions such as "how much is rent?" in a country where employers by law must house you (and in most cases do house you).

bdawg · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 526 Location: Nanjing

kimo · Joined: 16 Feb 2003 Posts: 668

Rent? Well, if you are a newbie that could be a problem so don't come down on Roger and the others for not giving you the answers you want. Pouncing on newbies is a time-honored tradition at Daves. If you are sulking now before arrival, I just can't imagine you a short while after your arrival. Anyway, certain visas are required to live here legally and work. All that information exists on these pages.

batman · Joined: 12 Oct 2003 Posts: 319 Location: china

i am elite. and i know where to get a 40 oz of vodka alot cheaper than the 26ers or 'stoly' that you all buy at carrefour. i was gonna tell you all, but some things are better kept secret. the same store has the best selection of cheese ive ever seen in one place in beijing. ha ha ha. im drunk and eating cheese. i love china.

nolefan · Joined: 14 Jan 2004 Posts: 1458 Location: on the run

Batman...

shame on you for keeping such a secret! I am half french and I am craving cheese as we speak. Since Beijing is only 2 hours away from her, I can squeeze a trip there and load up on necessities if you could only let me know where to get it...

please, pretty please, with a cherry on top Crying or Very sad

batman · Joined: 12 Oct 2003 Posts: 319 Location: china

i just dont want millions of laowei flocking to this little store and looting it, and hicking the prices. its cheap, and obviously meant for certain expats, who are not american or english speaking. there is not even a sign...and the restaurant next to it sells steak dinners for 30 kwai. suckers! if u have ever gone to outback i pity u! pm me, and i might spill it.

Guest · Posted: Wed Mar 17, 2004 8:22 pm Post subject: COST OF LIVING IN CHINA

AS I LIVE AT MY SCHOOL, I DO NOT PAY RENT, BUT I HAVE FOUND THAT MOST THINGS IN CHINA A VERY CHEAP, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF HOTELS AND POSTAGE (AIR MAIL) HOME TO AUSTRALIA.

AS I DO NOT DRINK (MUCH) OR SMOKE, I COULD EASILY LIVE ON 1,000 YUAN PER MONTH IF I WANTED TO SAVE MONEY.

OF COURSE, IN MY CASE I CANNOT DO THAT AS THE ORPHANAGE TAKES MOST OF MY MONEY EACH MONTH - WHICH I AM HAPPY ABOUT. I ACTUALLY SPEND MORE EACH MONTH THAN I EARN.

SO, BASICALLY, IF YOU SET YOUR MIND TO IT, YOU COULD SAVE AT LEAST 3/4 OF YOUR SALARY - IF YOU DID NOT GO OUT PARTYING A FEW NIGHTS A WEEK. I THINK IF YOU LIVED IN (SAY) SHANGHAI, IT WOULD BE HARDER TO SAVE MONEY AS I HAVE NOTICED THAT TAXIS, FOOD, ETC. ARE DEARER IN THE BIGGER CITIES THAN OUT HERE.

IT ALL DEPENDS ON YOUR LIFESTYLE I THINK. IF YOU ARE COMING TO CHINA TO SAVE, I SUGGEST THAT YOU TAKE ONE OF THE HIGHER PAYING POSITIONS (HIGHER BECAUSE THEY ARE OUT FROM THE CITIES AND ARE NOT POPULAR WITH MOST YOUNG PEOPLE). THAT WAY YOU WILL EARN MORE AND BE LESS TEMPTED TO SPEND IT ALSO.

Gonzo · Joined: 08 Mar 2004 Posts: 80

High salaries/low salaries?
Several factors here.
* Prestige. "Famous" universities pay little, as they're doing you a favor letting you in. The amount of work you do there is minimal; its expected you'll make that up privately, trading on the name of the institution.
* Many places want some tame laowais to attract customers. They pay peanuts, get people who are there for the experience of China more than anything else, give them short hours, and everyone's happy. Nowt wrong with that.
* Places that have a genuine demand for native speakers with qualifications that can justify calling them "teachers". They tend to get worked pretty hard, but are paid above average...for that province or city, that is.

Having worked long and hard at getting qualifications and experience, I can't really subscribe to the belief that anyone can teach. Standing in front of a class and keeping them docile/active/amused is another matter, but it's not teaching.

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

I try to send a fourth of my salary home every month and then I can free spend the rest without feeling too guilty.

Although I don't LOVE my school (and really, would there be a school in China I LOVE? I'm just doing this whole China thing as a "life experience" - I'll be over it after another year here), I like it well enough that I asked for a contract renewal for one more year. Normally, they only give a raise of 500 rmb per month for a new contract, but I asked for MUCH more than my current salary, so they gave me a 1k rmb pay hike. PLUS: I still get my own, free, private apartment, utilities, tv/dvd, ADSL internet, phone service, 3 free meals, free health care, and a host of other nice things. So, I'm hoping that extra thou will help me save more money while still enjoying going out to eat and shopping from time to time.

woza17 · Joined: 25 May 2003 Posts: 602 Location: china

Look, no one is being elite but we just suggest to go on the Newbie forum or PM some patient kind people. I must say that some of the above posters can sound, at times a little bit abrupt. and I say, shame on them .
PM me I have a lot of time and patience.
Cheers carol