Want to know how to live in China for cheap?
I’ve been doing it for a few years now, and I can tell you that it’s as easy or as difficult as you make it.
I’ve known expats who were extremely thrifty and managed to build a sizable nest egg in their few years in China.
On the other hand, I’ve known expats who try their hardest to keep living their Western lifestyle and end up spending nearly their entire paycheck on imported Western food and beer. They barely have enough for a roundtrip plane ticket back home each year.
Western expats can make decent money in China, whether you’re an English teacher, businessperson, or something else. However, whether or not your wallet ends up fatter when you’re done is entirely up to you.
Me, I’m a thrifty expat. I’ve been able to save up a decent chunk of money even though my salary isn’t through the roof. And the best part is: you don’t need to drastically change your lifestyle to do it. You can live cheaply and comfortably in China.
How to live in China cheaply
Learning how to live in China cheaply and comfortably is actually quite simple, and involves only minor lifestyle changes. If you don’t think you can do all of them, try squeezing two or three of them into your routine and watch your change jar overflow.
Room with friends
Rooming with friends is one of the best ways to save money in China. Rent in Tier-1 cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, or Shenzhen can be as low as 3,000 RMB ($429 USD) for a studio apartment to as high as 6,000 RMB ($857 USD) for a one-bedroom in the city center. Depending on how much you want to save, these might not be the best options for you.
Rooming with friends can save you up to a few thousand RMB per month. Rooms in 3-4 bedroom apartments are usually only around 2000 RMB each ($286 USD). That leaves you with at least an extra 1000 RMB to spend on whatever you like (or save and invest it!)
If you like the roommates option, you can try Chinese apps like Ziroom to find really nice deals. Ziroom is one of the safest housing apps with few to no scammers.
However, if you value your privacy like I do, a studio apartment for around 3000 RMB might be a better option. Plus, your school or teaching agency might cover your rent for you with a monthly stipend.
Now, on a related note…
Live close to your work
Living close to your work not only helps you save money in China, it also saves you time. Besides saving you precious RMB for a round trip to and from work (round trip commutes cost anywhere from 2 to 10 RMB, and yes I know I’m being a little stingy here, but it adds up) you can also shorten your commute time.
If you have never experienced a morning or evening commute in a large Chinese city, I will describe it to you in two words: organized chaos. Huge lines of people trying to board trains, traffic coming from all directions, and endless waiting are just part of everyday life here. And for those of you who don’t like crowds, this is another reason why you should live close to work.
If you’re a teacher like most expats in China, oftentimes the school will provide free housing near work for you or may actually give you a room on campus. If not, it shouldn’t be too hard to find a place near your work. However, if you live closer to downtown, you might need to live with roommates to lower the cost of your housing.
Actually, the faster you can get home, the more time you have to do important things like…
Cook at home
Those who know how to live in China for cheap know this: cooking at home will keep your wallet full.
Even though in China you will never be short on tasty food options, you will inevitably end up spending more at a restaurant than at the grocery store.
But cooking at home is not enough. Most Westerners in China would probably like to cook Western food at home. This, however, will add up quickly as a lot of Western goods are imported which makes them pricier.
So, what’s the best way to save here? Do as the locals do. Buy and cook Chinese food.
Homecooked Chinese food is actually very simple to make. Most dishes consist of thinly-sliced meat and vegetables stir-fried in sauce. The kind of meat, vegetables, and sauce is up to you. And it’s all served with rice.
Generally, a serving a meat and vegetables will cost you only around 10 RMB ($1.43 USD) at the grocery store. See this guide for more info (note that food prices are listed per kilogram).
Meals at even the cheapest restaurants in China will generally range between 15-20 RMB ($2.14-2.86 USD) in big cities. Fancier restaurants will be double that. So, you save money each time you cook at home.
And if you don’t like rice… try noodles instead?
Take public transportation/ride bikes
Taxis in China are cheaper than back home, and thus tempting to ride all the time. However, taxis must be avoided if you want to save money.
I’ve even written an article about cheap public transportation options in China. And I mention that taxis are a big no.
Public transportation in China is incredibly well developed. Local economies would be nowhere without their vast transportation networks, and the Chinese government knows this. So, they’ve built networks of buses and subways to encourage growth and movement.
The great part about buses and subways is not just that they can take you almost anywhere, they’re also cheap. A bus ride generally costs around 1-5 RMB ($0.14-0.71 USD) depending on the distance. Metro rides are a little more expensive but you avoid traffic.
Now, there’s an even better way to save money while getting around. It’ll cost you an upfront investment, but it eventually pays itself off.
That’s right: cycling.
Getting a bike will save you money in the long run. Even better if you’ve moved close to work, as your entire life (your job, your friends, your shopping) becomes accessible for free. And you won’t need to pay for your commute to and from work every day.
If you don’t want to own a bike or don’t have room for it, China has bike shares. They can be found everywhere and all you need is an app and a deposit, which is usually about 200-300 RMB ($28.57-42.86 USD). In addition, each ride will cost 1 RMB for every half hour.
Join a language exchange
Learning Chinese is not only difficult, it can be expensive. Chinese classes can start anywhere from 100-200 RMB ($14.26-28.57 USD) an hour, and with 2 or 3 classes per week, this expense can add up quickly.
A cheap (or free) way to learn Chinese and make new friends is to join a language exchange. You can find language exchanges online or through WeChat groups.
Though language exchanges are great, they should be used as a supplement to your studies rather than as a replacement. For me, I would attend Chinese class once a week for one hour (about 150 RMB, $21.43 USD) and then take part in one language exchange to apply what I learned that week. This way, the material can be reinforced and better remembered.
It is, however, crucial to go into language exchanges with the goal of speaking Chinese. This can be hard, as many people who attend will want to practice English with you. Make sure you are actively speaking Chinese to get the most out of the language exchange.
Plus, knowing more Chinese might help you scout out awesome deals and discounts you would otherwise not know about. Knowing how to live in China cheaply is easier if you know the language!
Language exchange in Shenzhen here.
Language exchange in Beijing here.
Language exchanges in Shanghai here.
Tutor on the side to earn extra cash
You want to know the secret of how to live in China cheaply and comfortably? Make more money!
The average English teacher in China makes a middling salary, about 10,000-15,000 RMB per month ($1,584-2,123 USD). This varies wildly depending on the institution you teach at as well as your experience. So, how do English teachers save more money? Tutor English part time.
Of course, if you are not an English teacher (like me!), your salary will be different. However, you can still supplement your income with a few tutoring classes every week.
Tutoring English can be lucrative: one hour classes usually start from 200-300 RMB ($28.57-42.85 USD), but you can definitely negotiate for more.
If you do the math, you will find out that even if you teach just two classes per week (1 hour each) and make 300 RMB for each class, you will have enough money to cover your groceries and other small expenses, plus have some cash left over.
So, how do you get tutoring jobs in China?
I usually get them through word of mouth or WeChat groups. There is never a shortage of students who need teachers, so finding a decent tutoring job is quite easy.
Bonus: Another way to earn cash on the side is to host pub trivia. I love trivia, so it doesn’t feel like I’m working for my cash. Many foreign-owned pubs will gladly pay you to host trivia as it drums up business on a slow night. All you have to do is pitch your idea to the owner of the bar and have them agree to let you host. And of course, you can advertise your trivia nights on WeChat.
Boil your tap water
There is an old saying in China: “hot water is good for healthy.”
That saying may or may not be true, but I can tell you what is true: boiling water can save you money.
How?
Tap water in China is not safe to drink, so everyone buys bottled water. Bottled water isn’t expensive, but if you drink two bottles per day (for about 2.50 RMB each), it will add up to about 35 RMB per week, 140 RMB per month, and 1,680 RMB per year. To put that into perspective, 1,680 RMB is the cost of a roundtrip plane ticket to Osaka or Singapore! There goes your annual vacation!
Boiling water not only makes it safe to drink but also saves you money to spend on things you really want. Even if you don’t boil water all the time (I don’t), drinking boiled water can save you some extra cash here and there.
As you can see, it just takes a little bit of adjusting to save money in China. And you never have to give up the things you love completely. For more China tips, remember to subscribe to this blog!