With China’s many provinces and billions of people, the cost of living ranges greatly across the country. With the economy ranging in this way from place to place, costs can vary dramatically depending on whether you are in a city that lacks a mainland like Shanghai or one that is more peaceful and rural such as the Yunnan field.
Housing: The Largest Expense
Ultimately, housing costs will account for a single largest chunk – both for residents and expatriates. A typical one bedroom apartment in the city center of top cities such as Beijing and Shanghai, cost an average monthly rent between $800 to $1500. In smaller cities and rural areas, however, rents can fall as low as $150 to $300 for the exact same accommodations.
Everyday Necessities: Eating and Riding
If you stick to local Chinese brands, your groceries in China can be quite affordable. The cost of groceries for one week may range from $30 to $50. As for eating out, food costs can go up by a lot when eating at mid-range restaurants, which you can eat for about $10 to 20 per person.
Being relatively low in transportation expenses. Until your income grows, public transit is hard to beat costing, $15-$30/mo for a metro/bus pass average every medium size city. Taxis start at around $1.50 a ride and go up in distance increments.
Utilities and Connectivity
If you add up all those costs, monthly utilities (electricity, water, gas) only $50 to $100 depending on your usage and the size of the apartment. The Internet services are cheap with monthly plans starting from 10 to 30 USD for decent speed.
Healthcare and Education
Healthcare costs can vary. Although public hospital services are inexpensive for citizens, expatriates frequently rely on more expensive private healthcare which can cost as little as $60 for a basic consultation and run into the thousands for complex procedures.
A main concern for families are also cost of education. International schools are expensive, costing from around $8,000 to $30,000 a year -price tags that represent big premiums for instruction in English and international curricula.
A Deeper Dive into Regional Variation
China has a tiered pricing system, from the east coast where everything is more expensive to rural areas to the west where things are cheaper. Chinas most established socialist council cities such as Guangzhou and Shenzhen are consistent with Beijing or Shanghai when it comes to living The Pearl River Delta also, economically vigorous. By contrast, regions such as Gansu, Qinghai, and Inner Mongolia – despite their cultural history – have significantly lower costs given their limited economic development.
Affordability and Lifestyle Choices
In general, though, the cost of living in china will always depend on a variety of lifestyle choices, as well as the region in china you reside. This results in the availability of a comfortable sun and beach lifestyle for an ex-pat or a city dweller from around $ 1000-2000/modest (middle-class) EX-PATS OR CITY DWELLERS / month. But add in living a life that includes regular restaurant meals, nights out at the movies or galleries, holidays and expat kids going to international schools and your budget can soon balloon.
Final Thoughts
Costs of living in China are variable depending on local economies, lifestyle and personal circumstances. Although the cost of living is higher in cities, China boasts expensive locations only within its hinterland and countryside where one can have a budget-friendly existence, thus catering to diverse budgets.