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Posts: 9192

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Q: Why do I hear its cheap to live in China?

Ok somethings are cheap, but many I don't think so. I think clothes are expensive. I bought a Pierre Cardon jacket in New York, made in China, $70, a down winter coat $19, these were sale prices, but because i did not think it was cold enough and I had enough stuff in my luggage, now I need more clothes, I bought a hooded sweat shirt today for 299y (too small, just for sleeping), passed on any coats that did fit because they were over 1000y. I can buy a Luyuan scooter cheaper in Canada than I can here, then add shipping and the price is about the same. So wheres the deals, eating at street vendors? I can't believe I buy Chinese merchandise cheaper at home than I can buy it here.
I'm up griping because I can't sleep. It just hit me why I hurt so much,, its the dam bed. I miss my Simmons.

12 years 5 weeks ago in  Shopping - China

 
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If you are looking for deals in a shopping mall, you won't find them there.  You will have to look at the tiny sidestreet shops to find your deals.  I picked up a pair of running shoes the other day for 80RMB.

Of course, after a very muddy run, I tossed them in the washing machine as I have done with all my shoes in the past and when I took them out, the soles had come off of both shoes.  So 80RMB for 1 weeks worth of shoe wearing.  haha

And the beds, yes, by western standards the beds here are little more than a few centimeters of padding thrown on a plank of plywood.  But you can find western style materesses here if you look.  They are pricey though.

Shining_brow:

I got an Intex air-mattress (third attempt at an air-mattress), and it's still up. Does me quite well, thank you! Cost a little over 100Y off Taobao. I think this one has lasted about 2 months. so, even if it dies today, it's 50Y/month... MUCH cheaper than any normal mattress, and much more convenient than trying to find the right amount of padding. I mention the Intex, because I bought 2 others of Chinese standard make (Moliffe) before it... both were more expensive. One lasted a few months, the other went up and down in a matter of hours...

12 years 5 weeks ago
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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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Western standard products are not cheap, daily life is very cheap.

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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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All foriegn brands are a rip off in China, and for all products not just a few.
It's either a status symbol for the rich or catering to expats and tourists so either way you will be gouged.
If you need clothes or electronics go to Hong Kong, but wether in China or Hong Kong you need to stay out of the big malls.
As for the bed, if you want a good one you will have to buck up, but bargain hard first.

derek:

Yup, my mattress is one of the most expensive things I own here.

12 years 5 weeks ago
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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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China is "cheap" to live in for a few minor reasons, but only if done right:

1.)  If you DON'T live in a major city (Shanghai, Beijing, etc.)  rent is a lot cheaper than it's western counterparts.  Now granted, the apartments that you can get that fall into this range aren't "awesome" by western standards - no oven or dishwasher or clothes dryer, etc - but you can live there fairly comfortably.  If you want a wester style apartment, be prepared to pay MORE than what you would in the west.  I've seen nice apartments in Shanghai go for 30,000rmb or more a MONTH and they STILL don't meet western standards (no insulation, single pane windows, etc.)

2.)  Basic foodstuffs are pretty cheap here, but I mean basic by CHINESE standards.  If you eat like a local, then yes, food can be very inexpensive.  Otherwise, be prepared to pay out the nose for simple things like butter and cheese.

3.)  Cell phone rates are dirt cheap here.

4.)  Utilities are damn cheap as well.  Electricity, water, and gas services are WAY cheaper than back home.  All 3 of those combined are less than my electric bill for one month in the US.

5.)  If you smoke, there is no comparison between prices here and the west.  Cigarettes are almost free here.

So, if you can swing it, the cobination of rent, utilities, cell, and food can be much cheaper.  Personally, I find that these savings get offset because I like cheese and more than 50 grams of meat during a meal.  If you are willing to make sacrifices, then yes, China can be a very cheap place to live.

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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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I also often hear foreigners saying that it's very cheap to live in China.

For me, their reality is only based on one fact : they live outside theChinese reality (maybe because of their expat package, I presume).

I often talk with common Chinese people and they all agree that life in China is very expensive, especially if you compare to Europe or the US. It's not only a matter of purchasing foreign brands or imported products, it's a matter of mentality.

In Western countries, you know that if you want to sell your products, you need to have a reasonnable price for customers to buy it whatever products you're selling:  food, toys, clothes, etc. Otherwise, only a few people will buy them. And except if you want to sell products to the few rich minority, you need affordable prices. In China, due to the huge amount of people, the only way for a company to position itself outside the common brand, it's not by the brand only, but by the price. The higher the price, the more people think it's a good brand. ThinJust look at Chinese brands for sportwears or computers that have prices very similar to Western brands.
The second reason is that if prices for toys or food were as cheap as in Western countries, China wouldn't be able to cope with the demand in terms of raw products. So again, the only way to prevent it, it's to increase the prices and split the products available according to classes : poor, middle class, upper middle class and rich.
If you compare prices in terms not of revenue but of percentage of your revenue that you spend to buy apples, common clothes, airplane tickets, etc, you will eventually find that China is far from being cheap.
 

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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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It's only cheap if you're making a decent amount of money, as in more than than the average local. I eat Chinese food at the local restaurants, I don't really go shopping, I don't pay for rent. I easily save 4/5 of my paycheck every month. So to me, yes, it's cheap to live here. Of course, I will not be living here permanently. If I was, it wouldn't be as cheap anymore because I'd probably want to get my own apartment. Forget having kids. I don't know how anybody can afford them here.

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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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Don't shop at the foreigner store. Don't spend more than 10 kuai on a tsingtao.

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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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If you are half the size of what I think is the crazy guy from road warrior then everything is always going to be expensive especially food prices.

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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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Ted, live like a local and not like a rock star, silly boy.

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12 years 5 weeks ago
 
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i bought a scooter for 3400 rmb, a price that i could never get back in europe, but of course it is a chinese made chinese brand, but i dont mind.

clothes are cheap, as long as u dont shop foreign brands or foreign stores, but why come here if u just want that.

i disagree with one point tho, mobile phone rates and internet is not cheap at all, i can get better plans and cheaper ones back home, but hey, thats a small point anyway...

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12 years 4 weeks ago
 
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You are right, my country is cheapest and in general, the quality of the things is better. But in the other hand, the jobs there are miserably paid.  
Certainly, you can have a nice live here but as everyone said, that depends of your earnings and life stile. By the way, I also miss my Simmons.
 

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12 years 4 weeks ago
 
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Ummm - it IS cheap!

Let's face it, most of us are getting 2-3 times what a local is paid (if not more). Soo, the local economy needs to support those people earning significantly less than us. Yeah, if you need western foods and the like, it can be expensive... but that evens out with your income.back home, there was no way I'd be hiring a cleaner... my next job (or sooner, if I can work out the privates and other classes), I can have a much nicer unit, and a maid to cook and clean every day... back home - NEVER!

For the first time in MY life, I'm basically throwing money away in enjoying my life by buying stuff, going to restaurants, and the like... and I STILL have leftover cash at the end of the month! And, really, given the lack of work I need to do to 'earn' this money, I'm on a right winner!

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12 years 4 weeks ago
 
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Well... Im living in Shanghai in very good location. I share the rent 2000y per month with my girlfriend, so the rent is 1000y per month. We eat local places, spend 6-10yuan per day.
I buy all of my clothes from internet as new. T-shirts i put range less than 10yuan, pants less than 80yuan an so on. I rarely buy anything cost more than 100yuan.
Also if you need something like scooter etc.. you can find used ones from Ganji less than 1000yuan.

So is it so expensive to live in China or not, depends on you. Use the internet, dont shopping on the street!

Im from Finland and i can say my living costs here is 10-15 times cheaper than in my country.

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12 years 4 weeks ago
 
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Shifu

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I know a guy who does love it there he pays know taxis still gets government checks from the states they pay for his Room and board and he only eats local when he does. I have no Idea how he spends his money but I know he does not do drugs.  

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12 years 4 weeks ago
 
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