salary for china

[sevarem]

julie33, it's actually pretty easy NOT to go crazy over shopping here. At home, yes, I love shopping. Here, either the clothing is absolute garbage quality or it's so ridiculously overpriced (H&M clothing here is stupidly expensive) that you're better off waiting to shop if/when you go home for the summer. Or you could go to a tailor, but the quality varies quite a bit.

As for other things you might want to buy, don't expect anything to be "real." If that's not an issue, go to town. If it is, wait until you go home. We don't even buy baby formula here. You can't trust that it's not poisoned. We import it all from home.

Anyway, 30k RMB per month is a very nice salary. If you were making that money AT HOME, while having to pay rent and bills, you still wouldn't be doing too badly. Here, with no rent to pay and no car to service, you'll do very well, even if you eat out several times a week. You'll definitely be able to afford nice holidays.

[julie33]

The replies have been incredibly helpful. And some are really quite funny....Psyguy: I appreciate your open mindedness about my sexuality! I just wish you could be as open minded about my gender! I would actually find myself more inclined to forego the shopping and do some local travel. I do agree with you---there is a line between being frugal and being downright boring....

[mack77]

[quote="danny514"]For a comfortable, "middle class" life in Shanghai, figure on around 10,000 RMB a month in living expenses (not including rent).[/quote]

This would be the MINIMUM amount for a comfortable lifestyle in Shanghai let alone putting one dime into savings.

[btech]

oops, double post

[btech]

For two years, I lived in Shanghai on a salary of between 13000 - 14000 RMB a month, with a 5000 USD bonus at the end of the year.

Free housing, and I didn't go out to clubs often. Took the metro and not a taxi, etc.

After two years, saved 24,000 USD.

[wntriscoming]

I think there must be many variations of what people feel "counts" as an international school are in Shanghai. If you are looking at the big players (Dulwich, SAS, BISS, Concordia) etc, they pay quite well. You can look on their websites for ideas of salary. If you have you MA + 6, I'd say that you're looking at $55,000 USD/year, minimum, plus all your benefits. That's about 29,000 RMB a month.

Someone said they live on 1300 RMB, but that is only $200 USD. Psy Guy mentioned living on 2,000 RMB per month. That is what we budget for our utilities. (We've never gone over this, BUT Shanghai just changed how they calculate electricity usage this summer and since then everyone's bills are at least 1/3-1/2 again higher than they've ever been in the past)

For 2-3 people in a family, I'd say to estimate spending 12,000-15,000 RMB a month for eating out/ordering 1-2 times a week, taking taxis, and buying beers and Western food on occasion when the Doritos cravings hit.

[btech]

Whoops y'all, I meant to type 13000 - 14000 RMB, not 1300 - 1400. Edited. Haha.

Note that I was a young, single guy too.

[sevarem]

wntriscoming, that's well over $2300 a month. If I remove rent and car insurance from the equation, I didn't even spend that much when I lived in the NY metropolitan area, widely considered one of the most expensive places to live.

Maybe I'm just super frugal (expect... I'm not), but if I'm not paying for rent or car insurance, there's no reason I should be spending that much EVERY month. Around holidays (for travel), sure, but... that just seems high to me.

[txteach]

I think wntriscoming indicated that would be the amount for 2-3 people per month, maybe that is why it seems like more than you'd spend? Unless I misread.

[PsyGuy]

@wntriscoming

The coworker (single guy) who lived on 2K RMB a month was provided housing which included utilities. His experience was an EXTREME example of frugality.

[wntriscoming]

That is correct txteach. That's my rough budget for a 3-person family living a fairly care-free life, not worrying if they can afford a nice dinner out or a soccer team sign-up for their child. A comfortable life-style with money left over at the end of the month.

[Mathman]

I was in sh a few years ago, and with a family of 4. Without paying for rent, and living it up, I spent less than 10k a month. Significantly less. And I have been to most of the fanciest restaurants in Sh, used the metro only after they opened one on my doorstep (last few monthS of out stays), and we went to buy clothes/toys etc once a month, which was one of our biggest cost. I have a large silk collection. If it was general living costs, eating at local restaurants and mostly cooking at home, it was about 4k a month. We only paid the maid a few hundred RMB a month.

Speaking Chinese helps.

[gbr1964]

This goes out to all

Is 46k rmb a good deal then for family of four. Free rent with util supplement of 6000 rmb per year. We are trying to figure out if it makes sense for us or not. Thanks for any input. Oh yes, it would be outside shanghai.

[eion_padraig]

That's a good salary. Even better if by outside Shanghai you mean Hangzhou, Suzhou, Nanjing, etc.

Again, if you don't live or travel extravagantly, you could save up half that salary. Vacations out of China will add up with four tickets. But vacations in SE Asia will still be affordable. My friends with four or more family members don't use every vacation to travel.

[gbr1964]

Thanks eion, I have been getting conflicting opinions as to how far the money can go. Some saying it would be okay but not much savings to your opinion about being able to save half. I really don't see how if can be just okay as our only expenses would be food and incidentals so I am leaning toward your opinion and others like it. Thanks again and looking forward to others weighing in.