Cost of Living in China

"It does not take much but unless you marry a Chinese citizen you can only stay here for one year and then you have to leave and get a new visa. In order to get a new visa you have to go back to you home country. And, there is no guarantee China will give you a new visa. No reason they won't either," said one expat in Nanning, Guangxi Provence.

"Living in China can offer significant savings compared to the cost of living in the United States. The currency exchange rate can help people save money, while necessities such as food, prices of daily necessities, rent, and transportation costs tend to be much lower in China than in the U.S. Living in China can also provide access to a more varied lifestyle and more affordable entertainment options than in the U.S," explained one expat.

"Even though prices have risen dramatically here according to my wife's family, they are still very cheap by American standards, the exceptions being housing (buying) and clothing. No sales tax. No income tax. No tipping-although when not embarrassing to family, I do tip our waiters," said one person in Xi'an.

"A little more expensive day to day than what I expected, but my wife is "retired" she is 50 and her daughter lives with us so I am spending for 3 instead of one. On the other hand I now live in her apartment which she owns so there is no rent to pay. However her apartment is only about 600 sq ft, 2 bedrooms with a small quest room which we use for our computers, my file cabinet, bookcases and two wardrobes. I am thinking of renting a 30 to 40 sq meter apartment to use as a work area," remarked one expat in Nanning, Guangxi Provence.

"Lower - average cost of local housing for locals is around U$150, for expat housing is around U$3,000 to U$50,000 a month," explained one expat.

"I've lived in Shenzhen for 8 years, and as with any city, location determines cost. Anyway close to the metro, in a modern residential complex, with good facilities will usually average out at about 120RMB per month per sq metre. So a good 75-90 sqm 2-3 BR apartment will set you back between 8-11k a month for an average apartment. Budget another 400-700 per month for management fees, power, water, and gas. Another 150 for Internet. Budget for up front costs of 2 months rent in advance, and 50% of a months rental for agency fee, if using an agent. Obviously, sharing with another expat will halve everything, so a good option to consider. Another option is to look at renting a spare room in an apartment that expats currently rent. You can often get these for 2-3k a month, including all utilities and wifi," said one person in China.

"The cost of housing in China varies widely depending on the city or region, however the average cost globally is generally considered to be moderately priced. Generally, the cost of renting an apartment or house in China is relatively low and prices are continuing to increase due to the influx of people and businesses moving to cities," remarked one expat in China.

"The rental price for a nice 1 bedroom apartment in China can vary but generally starts around $400 USD per month. For a nice 2 bedroom apartment the rental price can start from around $550 USD per month," remarked one expat in China.

"In rental properties in China, tenants can typically expect appliances such as a stove, refrigerator, and water heater to be included. In some cases, the rental property may also come with a washing machine and air conditioning unit. In addition, many rental properties offer access to communal on-site amenities such as a swimming pool, fitness center, and shared garden space," mentioned one expat in China.