As always it depends where you live in China

We have Hot water all year round now after we bought a system and did up the bath room

the Kitchen is small compared  to Aus

the decorating cost as much as the house (when you buy it is to lock up stage )

as for security     well if you are game to take on Hong Tai Lung   good luck to you

I live in a company provided dorm room.

Has a western toilet and a shower with sliding doors.

Building has security.  A little inconvenient if I stay out much past 11pm, as they lock the doors and then I gotta drag their ass out of the guard shack to unlock the doors.

Came with a TV, digital cable, fast internet, fridge, water boiler.  Bought my own toaster and coffee maker.  Everything else was furnished (bed, table, chairs, tv stand, wardrobe closet, etc)

This is the ultimate bang for the buck as I don't pay anything for it (no rent, no utilities, nada).  And I can sleep in super late...work is just down a few flights of stairs in the morning.

rent a room with toilet , have hot water all year round,full furnished,beautiful kitchen and the environment is very well.it is quiet that i can sleep very well.

American standard anything less would be uncivilized!

I have an apartment, thought it is basically a hotel room inside with just some sliding doors to create a "bedroom".  It was furnished with the Americanized stuff, but just miniature sized... a small microwave and fridge, mini wash machine, American toilet and super nice shower, and A/C.  Bathroom is separate, and well designed.  It is lacking a full kitchen, no stove or oven, so have to break out the hot pad and rice cooker, but my girlfriend cooks well with little, and there are over a dozen small shops that deliver to my house, so finding good food isn't a problem since it is difficult to cook here.  I love the view of the Canton Tower from my house, and the location might be busy, but the access to near unlimited shops for food, soon to be 2 subway lines, and beautiful architecture keep me happy in my small dwelling.

There is security, but it is an office building on bottom floors, so easily accessible to anyone.  I chose the place because it was near the location of my girlfriends workplace. Had I more time to look, I would have gone for something larger, but time was short to find a place, and the first few places we looked at were disgusting.  The location is amazing, except for being too many old people in the way every morning.  To me, location in a big city is very important, and I am willing to pay more to get a prime spot in the city, even if my house is smaller.  I won't live without an American toilet/shower and A/C, however.  I love that I can go anywhere in Guangzhou in an instant, which I do.  If I lived south in Panyu or North in Baiyun district, I wouldn't get out and enjoy things as much.

The apartment I have in China has a steam/shower, jacuzzi tub, complete western amenities such as a real oven, dishwasher, full size, double-door fridge, etc...  There is even a huge balcony where I keep my BBQ.  

It is part of a "community" of sorts that has a small army of security guards.  Each building has keycard activated doors, cameras, etc...  So security is okay.

But this is the place that I own.  So I spent a lot on designing it in a way that made me comfortable.

When I was working in other cities, I always rented an apartment that western style bathrooms, passable security and were fully furnished.  What you can get depends strictly on your budget.

I have rented apartments from 1,200 RMB per month to 10,000 RMB per month.

I like my apartment. I wish that the bathroom was a little bigger, but that's okay. I also wish that I was higher up, because of the IDIOT LOUD Chinese right above my apartment. :( I just got new furniture provided by the university that I work for. (It's actually office furniture.)

  My apartment is a toilet, and not a western one either unfortunately.

Ours is currently an older type apartment close to the center of Shenyang. It is the typical 7 story type block with only stair access and no security. It has an all in 1 bathroom with a Western toilet but it is a pain in the arse to have to mop up the whole room whenever you take a shower as there is no shower screen. Clean inside but not very modern. We are only there for 3 months or so each year as I still work in Australia.

Have just purchased a new apartment in a 25 story block above 1 of the best shopping mall areas and right next to a metro station. Small at only 60 sq mts but will have all modern fittings. We are just going through the process of organizing the fitting out. Small bathroom but will have it's own shower area and the kitchen will again be small but will have enough facilities for us. High up with a nice view and very convenient.

As the old apartment block is in an area that is quickly being modernised the hope is that it will be selected for demolition as the going rate is generally good once earmarked for redevelopment so we should get a nice return on the price we paid for it. If not will just rent it out.

I have a one bedroom apartment with a western toilet, a stove I had to buy myself, a crappy fridge and a brand new washing machine. We have guards, and people aren't allowed in the building's door without a key, or if the people at the desk don't know you.

It's furnished, but I already broke the bed because... uh... yeah. The chairs are crappy wooden things, and I've already broken them. The air conditioner is broken and only blows cold air, so I had to go and buy my own heater.

All in all, I had to spend several thousand RMB to fix this crap, and make it liveable. Before I arrived, it was a run-down gunksty that wasn't even suitable for rats. Now it's a pristine pigsty.

About 900 RMB per month. Then I found an apartment 1,000 times better with 2 bedrooms for only 1k. Really bit my lip. I want to move out soon. I'd actually strongly consider a non-western toilet as they're more difficult to clog, and are definitely quite a bit more sanitary. I also need the exercise.

my wife and I have 3 bdrms and 3 balconies (wetlands park view) and 2 bathrooms (1 western toilet)  2 showers, security is good, fridge is tiny,( no oven or dishwasher) satellite TV, decent (not good) internet, ............. I am constantly told that it is too big 150sq.m, but nobody offers us a smaller decent  place at a decent price  2700rmb for this one......have a moped so can get anywhere anytime.  

I wanted an elevator and a western toilet. My apartment was basically one big room with a loft that had an extra bed. It was furnished. I had a balcony, a washing machine room, the washroom was big enough to put a shower in but the entire bathroom was the shower, kind of a pain having to mop the floor after every shower. Kitchen had a frig and a hot plate on the counter, pots were crap. I bought a second hot plate, pots and dishes. Building had security although they seemed to let anyone in. Rent 1600 plus hydro, cold in winter, floor too cold to walk on.

My last place was killer. The Hopson in Beijing, but the furthest east building, so it had a killer view. Two rooms, nice westernized toilets, shower with a partition, washer and dryer. It was great. 

My apartment is really nice but the location is utter shit. Only thing close to it is my school. Of course I live in a city of 8 million that has no Subway system so you can guess it isn't a top tier city.

Inside I have an awesome couch, two bedrooms, bathroom, kitchen, washer, fridge.

  I live in a small turd. It is completletyy made w of shit snd everyojne is in aagreement thst mny home ids a large turd. But fucikthedm,.this fi  mhsy horkm. zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzgwy

Very nice rather smallish one bedroom apartment in a gated community.  Cozy and inviting.

I'm at Shimao Apartment in the Sanlitun area. Everything you asked  for they have. Can't go wrong here.

I'm in a pretty nice apartment complex that's owned by the rail road. Up until about 5 years ago, they were the places that uppper mid-level management types from the rail road and headmasters and department heads the city's universities used to live in. Now its mostly pensioners and a handful of renters. It's in pretty good shape, given that its an older building. There is some water damage, but then most apartments here that I've seen have that. It's totally furnished, and the toilet is western (which is a must have.) There are two guards too who lives in the block house near the front gate with their wives. Since the rail road installed a key card system they spend most of their time playing Mah Jongg with their wives and a few of the people that own businesses next door. Just as well, they're both pretty old and I don't think that they could actually stop somebody from breaking in.

The place we lived in before this one was much different. It was owned by the army, although most of the army personal had moved out and the building was mostly renters. The condition was a little rough. I mean older furniture, crummy floors and bathroom fixtures, old wiring. No guards, but because it was above a PLA motor pool there was no violent crime. The business close are all owned by people in military and there the types of business that like to keep a low profile if you can understand what I'm trying to say. Like the grocery store that didn't actually have any food in them. Or a sporting good store that never had any costumers but always seems to have people loading or unloading boxes of god knows what. There were a few thefts though, people would have their mopeds stolen. Once we had the wiring taken by migrant workers for the copper and we were without power for like a week. because most of the tenants were renters. Looking back though it wasn't such a bad place to live.        

Quite interested in this topic so i get it up, sorry for that^^

I recently moved to Shanghai and I pretty much hate the living conditions.

My company pays 5000 rmb per month for a 2 bedroom 130m2 apartment in zhabei. It is big no question, but it is old. When i arrived the washing machine and one aircon was broken, also one of the stoves is broken.

Well the kitchen consists of a 2 sinks with hot water and 2 gas stoves... thats it litterally. I have a very small balcony just enough for 2 persons to stand on.

The furniture are very shit, old small leather couch with feels like sitting on a stone, 2 very old tvs and the chairs already broken. The bed is like 1,7m long and is too short ~.~

We went looking around the area for a better one but seems this one is already the best OMG!

I just dont want to spend a lot of money in decorating it because i dont know how long i gonna stay there. Especially because the landlord is a greedy bastard. He doesnt wanna help my girlfriend with a residence permit because he doesnt pay tax LOL! he said you can move out if you dont like that i dont care.

I have the shi***** apartment i know out of foreigners and Chinese.

No lift and on 7 TH floor- though good exercise...

Kitchen- No working lights, sink no hot water and leaks.  Random pipes sticking out from everywhere, dodgy electrics/wires and no cooking equipment.- i brought a electric stove for the occasional meal.

Lounge- A broken Sofa, tv and table.  The thinnest vinyl flooring that rips easy, gaps in the window so you can enjoy the fresh cold air in the winter is how they furnished it.  I obviously spent money to get additional chairs a nice projector, tables etc to make it a little pimped out in a ghetto house.

Main bedroom-Bed, mattress and wardrobe, does the job.  No sheets or anything else provided when moved in.

2nd bedroom. Empty a fake window with no curtains.

Bathroom- Old crappy styled in need of repair.  Western toilet though.Its big but with the worse design with a shower above the toilet.

Balcony- (Main reason i stayed in apartment as nice in summer along with the hassle of moving all stuff to almost same type of apartment) Concrete floor but big.  Nice to chill out there, play darts or have a barbeque.  Decorated with my own graffiti on the walls.

Overall.  Old styled apartment in need of repairs, bad wiring and structure.  No aircon so reached 37 degrees inside apartment in the summer which was unbearable.  Not very well insulated so cold in the winter.

Its in a complex not very secure but patrolled by guards.  No decent shops.  

But end of day its free, 1 minute from school which is good.  Changing jobs soon so will be getting a nicer apartment.  Feels like i been living in a cave.

Pretty nice. Good view. About 140sqr/mtr. 3 Bedrooms, 2 bathrooms both with proper porcelain, decent size balcony. All rooms have air-conditioning. The kitchen is small, Superman wouldn't be able to get into his underwear in there, almost no tablespace, small fridge, 3 gas burners that are so close together it is only possible to ever use 2, the stovetop ventilator is like a jet engine, except it only makes the noise, it doesn't move the air.

The bedrooms have wooden (laminate) floors. There is a lack of closet space, it's probably good because most closet doors in the place have the hinges coming loose, they are great for growing mold though. There is pretty good passive ventilation as the windows and doors do not close that well, it of course impacts cooling/heating bills. All taps have hot water, the gas for the water heater is prepaid, so it is possible to run out of gas. 

The building was completed in 2009. 

Still, it's the nicest apartment I've seen in China. OK there was one but the price was unrealistic. So called luxury, yet it still had strange stuff like a wall panel that had 4 A/C control panels right next to each other. Why not just have one and leave the wall more untouched. The aesthetics the interior designers posses is unbearable

From the time in Yiwu, I started collecting my own furniture, even against my wife will. As for the many reasons seen everywhere, have own furnishing and stuff , is a best way. Just find the place and move everything in. 

 It's disturbing while you have to move to other place every year ( u know chinese ) , but now in Shanghai, we are gonna stay 3rd year on same place. its 50+ sqm flat, about 3years old building.1 bedroom plus dinning/living place and tiny kitchen. washroom seems bigger than kitchen but is lovely and the rent is nice. Our landlord is nice to us, he see we do keep his house clean and in good condition, so our rent is about almost half of the price people pay around for same place. 

3 bedrooms, big living room with a funny smell in the air, got a bathtub and a shower. Kitchen is quite ok...

cost? free

this year i am in an open prison, i mean teachers dorm block. fully furnished bedroom, bathroom, shared kitchen (with 2 others) and washing facilities Pro's: fast on-site maintenance, heated, rodent and insect free. Con's: Big Brother. This contrasts with the cold, no heating, drafty, 2-bed room, freezing bath-room place i had previously. I have too much security now....... Too early to tell if i need to tunnel out of here yet.

After 3 years here, I finally realized that crap apartments are the norm.  I was a designer in America, so I finally reached my limit of patience.  Just recently I signed a 5 year lease  with a landlord in my dream location:  25th floor, 150 sq. meters, 2 balconys with mountain and river views, 3 bedrooms and 2 baths, a parlor, living room dining room and decent sized kitchen.  I then proceeded to gut the house (except the kitchen) to the bare concrete and design my own place.  I'm in the tail end of the renovation, just installed some beautiful slate floors throughout the house.  I learned a lot in the process about why the Chinese decorate the way they do, why all the houses look so similar inside, and about Chinese building practices.  Really an educational (and frustrating!) experience.

Anyways, after it's all done,  We'll finally have a place that's fit for more than animals.