Job Discussion Forums

[icedout921]

How much RMB is a good salary? I recently received a job offer that I really like. It is a university and they give a good private accommodation, two meals provided and only 18 work hours a week. I like this because it is Monday through Friday with a lot of vacation time. It gives me a good amount of time to explore China. My main reasoning in going is to experience a new culture, learn a new language, see some sights and to gain some great teaching experience. Money has never been a big issue but I see a lot of offers for 10,000 rmb or at least 8,000 rmb. 4,500 is the offer I received and it seems awfully low. Does that sound like enough to live on? I am not trying to save a lot of money but I would like to be able to save a little and live comfortably. The offer is in henan.

[Trinley]

That's plenty to live on, in my opinion. Universities tend to pay around that, but with time and experience you can get more. The jobs paying 10k are usually language schools that may require 30 hours a week, with no accommodation and far fewer vacation days than a uni job. If you want to make more money, you can take a part-time job at a language school.

It sounds like a typical offer for a university job. For your purposes, it seems like it would be a good choice. You should get flight money too.

[kev7161]

Well, here we go again. IN MY OPINION I think most anyone cannot live "comfortably" on 4500 rmb per month these days in most major Chinese cities. Day to day living such as food, personal entertainment (bar-hopping, foot massage, out to a movie, restaurants, etc.) are getting more expensive. Add to your daily expenses such as transportation, general shopping (clothes, medicines, toiletries, food items), DVDs, cigarettes (if you are a smoker), and other misc. incidentals and your 4500 starts dwindling away. If you are responsible for any household items such as internet, land-line phone or mobile phone, drinking water, etc., the costs may be minor-ish, but they can add up and eat into your monthly earnings.

Then you say you want to save AND travel. Let's say you save 450 (10%) every month and eventually you'll convert it back into US dollars or whatever your local currency is. 450 is equivalent to about $70.00 more or less. Nice to be able to save seventy bucks, but in the long term, it's not all that much.

Traveling? Whether it be local or abroad (Japan, S. Korea, Taiwan, Thailand . . . ) traveling is not getting any cheaper. You have the high speed bullet trains which are more comfortable, but also more expensive than the old, slow trains. Hotels, food, admission price into tourist areas all add up. And you'll have to REALLY save for several months up to a year or more if you want to travel to some exotic locale if you are only earning 4500.

Of course, one can live frugally and stay around their home base only on 4500. But your post indicates that is not necessarily what's on your mind. Also, with all that time off, you'll find more opportunities to spend money rather than save it. Two meals at the local canteen can take the burden off, but I feel many FTs grow weary of the canteen stuff and end up eating out or cooking at home more often than not. And will they provide these meals 7 days a week and holidays as well?

Some may advise you to find extra work such as tutoring or PT at a language mill since it seems you will have the time to do so. It's never a bad idea if a person is so inclined, but at the same time, why not take a job that is going to have you work, say, 24 hours a week (instead of 18 ) and may pay you quite a bit more?

[dean_a_jones]

Where in Henan is it?

The salary is slightly lower, thought not at all unusual for a university salary, especially outside of the bigger cities. You need to be looking at the package as a whole--what are they offering alongside pay? Free apartment and meals is good start. Who pays for utilities, internet fees, cost of medical, RP when you arrive? Do you get a travel stipend (for in China travel) or end of year bonus? How much for airfare? I assume you get paid during the winter holiday, but check if it is not stated. What about the summer, if you stay on for a second year (can you keep your apartment, will you get paid for the summer months)? Will your salary increase if you resign a contract for a second teaching year?

These are all questions you should be asking of the package. The more of these you have to pay yourself (or you lack), the less attractive the lower salary will be.

It sound like you have the potential to save some, perhaps around 1-2,000RMB a month depending on your lifestyle choices. Spending to offset boredom or to replicate elements of life at home (particularly eating habits), as well as socialising frequently due plentiful free time tend to be the reasons why a lot of people struggle to save, especially on lower salaries such as this one.

[bharrell]

The secret to saving money or having more to spend on "fun" things (wine women, song, travel) is to moonlight at other part time jobs. I couldn't live well on that salary. I increase my base salary of 6K to 10K without too much extra work. Big difference in lifestyle.

[Lobster]

Why accept this uni job at that rate when others pay almost twice as much? Even leaving aside the party life, travelling would be severely restricted on that salary. Also, why moonlight and go through the hassles of finding privates and perhaps violating the contract when you could simply find a different uni job for 7-8k? I think you'd spend at least half your pay on living expenses. Why do so many unis want to pay 4k a month? Could it be that they receive a subsidy of 8k per month for retaining an FT and want to pocket half of that? By the way, if you're considering living on campus, maybe you'd better check whether it's one of those places that cuts all the power at 10 pm.

RED

[rogerwilco]

I keep meeting newbies that arrive in China with little to no money.

A higher salary gives you options and security.
At 4500RMB a month you will probably not have or save enough money for an emergency flight home or a hospital stay.

Having a higher salary allows you to save money, and with that extra money you have more freedom to change jobs, travel, or handle the expenses of an emergency.

Living month by month puts you at the mercy of your school.

This past year I have had to spend about 35,000 RMB to take care of a health problem. I would not have the money to take care of my health if I only earned 4500 or 5000 a month. Insurance did not pay my hospital bills due to my problem being considered as a "pre-existing condition".

I disagree with the insurance companies decision, but when you are having health problems it is better to have the savings to be able to pay for proper care.


My first job in China paid 9000RMB a month at a high school in Anhui. I saved about 7000RMB a month due to Anhui being a boring place with not much to do.
Also, I do not drink much, or smoke, or play with the bad girls.

The jobs in the poor parts of the country can actually pay more simply because nobody wants to go there. It was also easy for me to ask for 200 or 250 an hour for tutoring because I was one of only two foreigners in that city.

Don't think that the smaller or poorer cities will always pay less. There are plenty of rich people in the less desirable places that will pay more to entice you to stay there. When I announced that I was going to leave Anhui I was offered 10,800 a month to stay and only have 10 classes a week.
I left because I was so bored after 18 months there.

[7969]

[MisterButtkins]

The pay issue is a contentious one on this forum, as is the notion of what a reasonable lifestyle for an FT is. IMO most of the FTs who spend a lot either (1) Have debt (2) Party a lot or (3) Eat western food all the time. There are also people who just seem to be horrible with money and buy lots of useless crap, but generally they have one of the above problems also.

Of course, all this changes if you are married or have kids, but for the sake of comparison I'm assuming we are talking about a single person here.

Personally, I never spend more than 2k a month unless I am making some major purchase or doing a bit of travelling.

[wailing_imam]

Depends where you are.

Any less than 10,000RMB a month and you are doing yourself a disservice - I mean, what's the point?

The school is earning a shiteload from you. They ought to share the love a little.

China has had growing inflation for a number of years. 4500 was the standard salary about 6 years ago for a job at some uni.

[kev7161]

[7969]

[beenthere96-2005]

[Scott 1955]

Ta ta

[dean_a_jones]