Top 10 most expensive Chinese cities to live in

[Fu Lai]

http://english.people.com.cn/90882/8131721.html

 

Hong Kong stands as the most expensive Chinese city in the global living cost index published by the UK's Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), followed by Shanghai and Shenzhen.

The survey, named the Worldwide Cost of Living 2013, sets New York as the benchmark city against other major cities. Hong Kong leads the Chinese cities, taking up the fourth place in Asia and 14th spot worldwide.

After Hong Kong, Shanghai ranks 30th on the list, up 11 places from last year, with a score of 99 against New York's 100. Five years ago, Shanghai was number 53 in the world.

The biannual survey compares more than 400 individual prices across 160 products and services, including food, drink, clothing, household supplies and personal care items, rent, transport, utility bills, private schools, domestic help and recreational costs. A range of stores: supermarkets, mid-priced stores and higher-priced outlets, were investigated. Instead of recommended retail prices or manufacturers' costs, the prices involved are what the paying customers are actually charged.

The survey is conducted every March and September and published in June and December. It has been a staple for over 30 years.

The following are the top 10 most expensive Chinese cities to live in.

No.1 Hong Kong（香港）World ranking: 14
No.2 Shanghai（上海）World ranking:30
No.3 Shenzhen, Guangdong Province（广东深圳）World ranking: 40
No.4 Dalian, Liaoning Province（辽宁大连）World ranking: 43
No.5 Beijing（北京）World ranking: 54
No.6 Taipei, Taiwan Province（台湾台北） World ranking: 60
No.7 Guangzhou, Guangdong Province（广东广州）World ranking: 71
No.8 Suzhou, Jiangsu Province（江苏苏州）World ranking: 72
No.9 Qingdao, Shandong Province（山东青岛）World ranking: 72
No.10 Tianjin（天津）World ranking: 79

 

[ama537621]

Nice, I am moving to #2. :headbang: .

[Fu Lai]

Top 10 worldwide includes #1 and #2 in Japan, #3 and #5 in Australia, and #7 and #10 in Switzerland. Asian cities make up 11 of the world’s 20 most expensive, while a decade ago this was six Asian vs. ten European cities, with four cities from the USA. The relative boom in many Asia-Pacific economies has pushed up bills for expats based in the region. In Shanghai, spending on accommodation has risen 73%. Rents in the world's most expensive property market, Hong Kong, rose 23% to $7,039 for a two-bedroom apartment. Rents in Beijing were up 15%. “The combination of increased prices on goods and a strengthening of the Chinese yuan has pushed Chinese cities up the ranking.”

 

http://www.china.org.cn/business/2013-02/06/content_27902181.htm

Shanghai is placed beside New York in a global cost of living index that also confirms Hong Kong's standing as the most expensive Chinese city.

New York is the benchmark city for the survey against which the cost of living in major cities is measured. Prices in Shanghai, on a weighted basis, match it.

With a score of 99 against New York's 100, Shanghai was ranked 30th of 131 cities, up 11 places from last year, by the Economist Intelligence Unit's survey.

Hong Kong led Chinese cities, taking fourth place in Asia and 14th spot worldwide. After Shanghai, Shenzhen was second among Chinese mainland cities, coming in 14th in Asia and holding down 40th place overall, followed by Dalian, Beijing and Guangzhou. These cities all moved up the ranks from last year.

Tokyo regained the title of the world's most expensive city.

The survey editor cited growing consumerism as a key factor for the rising cost of living in China.

Costs have gone up as increased consumer demand offsets wage increases and government efforts to keep the economy from overheating, Jon Copestake told China Daily.

Copestake suggested that the latest figures reflect recent economic expansion and the trend that China looks set to be the world's biggest economy, possibly as soon as 2020.

"China is catching up with other economies, so it's more expensive," he said. "You could say it is the price of success. It's a small price to pay, because wage inflation in China is still keeping up with the receding cost-of-living inflation, at the moment anyway."

Five years ago, Shanghai was ranked at 53 in the world.

Robert Theleen, chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, has seen living costs rocket during his 32-year stay in China.

"In cities like London or Chicago, they have well-developed logistics and supply chain management. That creates a fully competitive market which helps to cut costs," Theleen said.

He said the service culture is not taking hold simply because people are used to relying on cheap labor. But this is changing as labor costs rise.

"It didn't matter 10 years ago. But now, to run a restaurant, you need to take advantage of modern technology to offset surging wages. If not, you will need to charge more to offset the costs," he said.

Theleen forecast that five years from now, Shanghai will experience a lowering of costs as the city replaces cheap labor.

...

Ye Hang, a Shanghai native who worked at a New York Internet company for two years, concurred with the study's basic finding - that Shanghai is expensive.

"The cost of living in New York is relatively less than Shanghai," Ye said.

Ye said rent on a "nice one-bedroom apartment in Brooklyn or Queens, which involves only around a half-hour commute to downtown Manhattan", could be had for $1,500. An equivalent place in Shanghai, he said, would fetch more than 3,000 yuan (nearly $500) - a harder hit to the wallet in real terms.

While there are concerns that high living costs may deter talent, Theleen said it is a problem not unique to Shanghai.

[Mick]

I am surprised that Dalian came in at No. 4. I would not have guessed it was that high up on the list. I would have figured Nanjing or maybe Wuhan might have been in the Top Ten. Also, interesting that Hangzhou is not on the list. Whenever we have visited friends in Hangzhou, prices were sky high.

[tsap seui]

Dalian was a surprise to me also, the nagain Wenyan always said it was expensive.

 

I've always thought China was one super expensive place to live, even in a little puddle jump (for a Chinese city) like Fushun. Many is the time I have asked Wenyan how do the average Chinese afford to buy anything....food, clothing...you name it.

 

I can't wait to hear Wenyan's comments about home when she goes back there in late May. Especially after seeing how far $100 goes in a grocery store in the US as compared to 100yuan in China...lol And after her year and a half of buying $2 and $4 name brand clothes from JCP and Macys and the Aerospatial (however you spell it or pronounce it) store.

 

She is gonna spend the big Y on Chinese sexy looking clothes when she goes back. To her, the American fashions look like caca. I agree, NOTHING is as sexy as the Chinese girl fashions. WHOOOO CHEEE MOMMA !!!! I encourage her to load up on Chinese fashions when she goes back. She gets all kind of nice comments and compliments on what would be normal average clothing in a Chinese city. I don't care how much she spends over there.....nothing is as sexy as Chinese girls and their fashions.

 

But, how do the average Chinese afford it? Jeez, that place is EXPENSIVE. Five thousand yuan for a dress, 15-25y for a freakin' Dove chocolate bar....not to mention home prices or what real food costs. She tells me I eat "hoiliday" food when we're in China. I am truly amazed at the prices over yonder. Thank goodness for the ol' 6 to 1.

 

tsap seui

[Fu Lai]

China, expensive??? Coming from America it is China that is inexpensive!

 

5000RMB dresses? That would be top shelf in China.

 

If you buy imported goods in China then it is expensive for the people here but regular China stuff of all kinds is SUPERCHEAP for Americans.

 

How about a night in a 5 star hotel here, $50. Same for a fancy dinner. Nice lunch for $2? Where in America?

 

We bought a downtown 4 bedroom condo for what would cost a million plus in the USA, here it was $70,000.

 

See how far $100 goes in America grocery stores compared to 630RMB in China.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Fu Lai (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

China, expensive??? Coming from America it is China that is inexpensive!

 

5000RMB dresses? That would be top shelf in China.

 

If you buy imported goods in China then it is expensive for the people here but regular China stuff of all kinds is SUPERCHEAP for Americans.

 

How about a night in a 5 star hotel here, $50. Same for a fancy dinner. Nice lunch for $2? Where in America?

 

We bought a downtown 4 bedroom condo for what would cost a million plus in the USA, here it was $70,000.

 

See how far $100 goes in America grocery stores compared to 630RMB in China.

I was not trying to disparage China in any way.

 

You missed my point completely. I purposely used yuan for Chinese prices....as in $100 in an American grocery store as compared to 100 yuan in a Chinese grocery store.

 

When I look at prices in China, I think in terms of a Chinese person who makes Chinese yuan at their job and that is what they have to spend when they buy something.

 

I do not think in terms of a Chinese person living in China and having the power of a US dollar exchange rate behind their purchases. If you'll read my post again, without thinking in terms of exchange rate, you will see that I specifically did not use those terms when talking in terms of why I felt China is every expensive for an average Chinese person to live. My mind doesn't work in terms of the US dollar's exhange rate like that when I am talking about China and the cost of things there.

 

Yes, the exchange rate is a wonderful thing for us Americans. I did the same as you with my girlfriend's home I bought her early 2008, actually my exchange rate was in the upper 7's when I bought our place and sent the money to furnish it. Hell, at our income of close to $8,000US a month, soon to be $9,000US, we could live like kings off the exhange rate over there. But......that is not what I was talking about. Please reread my post. It was very specific in the terms I was talking about.

 

I don't think in terms of how far the US exchange rate goes in China, just like I don't think in terms of how far the yuan goes in America. Why would I?

 

You are very fortunate to have your exchange rate and the power it has in China to live a good life. Sometimes the thought of having $48,000 or $54,000 yuan a month to live and play house in China with crosses my mind too.

 

I just feel for the average Chinese person who must pay the prices I see in China, and have only seen rise dramatically since 2006. How do "they" do it?

 

When you read my posts about China, just know that I am not trying in any fasion to belittle the Chinese in any way shape or form. There are enough bb's around that do that crap. lol I don't think like that....never did.

 

tsap seui

[david_dawei]

I am surprised that Dalian came in at No. 4. I would not have guessed it was that high up on the list. I would have figured Nanjing or maybe Wuhan might have been in the Top Ten. Also, interesting that Hangzhou is not on the list. Whenever we have visited friends in Hangzhou, prices were sky high.

 

The city can thank the fallen Bo Xi Lai...

[Mick]

 

I am surprised that Dalian came in at No. 4. I would not have guessed it was that high up on the list. I would have figured Nanjing or maybe Wuhan might have been in the Top Ten. Also, interesting that Hangzhou is not on the list. Whenever we have visited friends in Hangzhou, prices were sky high.

 

The city can thank the fallen Bo Xi Lai...

An interesting point - I had not thought of that angle.....

[Fu Lai]

You missed my point completely. ...

 

I guess I did miss your point. You started with YOU thought it was expensive so even though you asked how do THEY afford it, I was stressing that from your point of view it should be cheap. Here, yes, life in the city is more expensive. But you still will not see 5000RMB dresses in the sticks or even in the city unless you are swanky shopping. http://s.taobao.com/search?q=women+dress&commend=all&ssid=s5-e&search_type=item&sourceId=tb.index&initiative_id=tbindexz_20130303

 

Regular folks here in the city here make about 3-5000RMB a month, normal rent is 500-1000 a month. Food is relatively cheap for everybody and all the slight increases are screamed at! Luxury items... well everybody is saving. So there is a good reason for the miserly attitude around. This is only city talk because out in the sticks it is a whole different story. I know about a billion Chinese live in abject poverty... Chinassippi-style.

 

I am a cheapskate so a 4RMB breakfast on the way to work, an 8RMB lunch and a 10RMB dinner at home is normal. Toss in smokes and a beer and I spend about 30RMB a day including transit fare.

 

[david_dawei]

In Fushun, her pay was (is) 2400 RMB a month. Rent for a studio apartment is 500 RMB. So anything worth living in is closer to 1000 RMB.

 

Buying basic meat like ribs for a meal is an easy 100 RMB. In the US, you could buy ribs for a month or more on that. The same problem with clothes...

 

Relatively speaking, they get much less buying power from what I have seen.

 

And if your living off 30 RMB a month, then your living much more village style instead of socially with family and friends as you will eventually need to pay a lot more for eating out as a group... or your living off everyone else when you go out...

Edited March 3, 2013 by david_dawei (see edit history)

[tsap seui]

Alright, now we are on the same page. I never consider the exchange rate when I'm talking about prices in China. I only look at the prices in China as if I were a Chinese worker making their wages. It still is saddening to me to see that everything is so expensive for the Chinese.

 

I guess Fushun is considered the sticks in China. It has a population of 2.1 million and the city limits of Shenyang keeps moving towards it each year it seems.

 

I saw the 5,000rmb dress in a shop in the mall in the center of Fushun (for David it's the mall 3 or 4 level mall with a Mickey D's to the right of the plastic strips of an entry door they use to keep out the cold in the winter. I can't say it was a fancy shop by any means. My wife bought a dress for 1,998rmb and I was just walking around looking at dress prices and saw this dress. I had to laugh when I saw it. Heck, I laughed at the price of Wenyan's dress. I don't know any American women that would pay $1,998 for a dress...I could only laugh because I had the exchange rate buying power.

 

In 2006 I bought a pair of shoes in that same mall.....400rmb Dress pants.....350rmb We bought Fengqi a pair of Kobe shoes here in America for $140 minus $20 for Wenyan's military ID card. He said in China that same pair of shoes was 2,000rmb. Paid $500 for a 4s iPhone for him here...how many rmb are they there? Lord knows, everyone has to have one of them except me. One of our nieces just bought some smart phone or whatever they are....I think she paid 2 or 3,000rmb for it. I can't imagine anyone paying $1,000 for a dern phone. Can the Chinese buy a computer for 300rmb. You can buy one at Best Buy or Walfart here for $300.

 

I like to eat prawns, strawberries, and pineapple....each one is very expensive in Fushun...hence my wife tells me I like to eat "holiday food".

 

I have looked at the prices there since 2006. My wife will tell you they have easily doubled for basic necessities like food and clothing. I don't know how the average Chinese worker pays for such expensive things. TV's, stereos, computers, sofa's nice dining room tables and chairs, beds,....you name it. For a typical Chinese worker the prices are out there.

 

One of my wife's brothers is a welder in construction of farm equipment. The best he has ever made is 2,000 a month. Your average worker in Wuhan makes a lot more money that the average worker in Fushun, according to your figures that I ran by my wife. Even then, at 5,000rmb a month...how does an average Chinese buy a 400,000 or 500,000 apartment? You won't find a bank in America that would touch you if you made $5,000 a month and asked for a loan on a $450,000 apartment...maybe in 2004 but no more. lol

 

Prices in China are just darn HIGH in my book, for the average Chinese worker. I feel for them having to deal with the prices they have there.

 

In America my typical breakfast is $5.08 if I am on my way to do something on my wife's apartments. If I didn't want some bacon I can buy 2 eggs and 2 slices of toast for $3.95 at the same restaurant. My lunch when out at the apartments is typically $6.24. I could get 2 hotdogs for $1.00 if I so chose. Dinner for 3 in our home....maybe $10, maybe less.

 

A Chinese worker spending what you spend for food each day is spending 660 a month out of his 3-5,000 monthly pay. Lets take a 4,000rmb monthly wage,add in 750 (say) for his rent, his water bill, his computer and TV bill (averaged out to the month since they don't pay by the month so to speak), his phone, public transportation for the month, electricty bill, and, I don't know what they tax workers in China, I do know they pay in so much per year for their "social security" (so that needs to be broken down to a monthly average). Probably missed something here, but it doesn't leave much for the prices of things I saw in my cumulative year spent in China on various visits while playing circle jerk with the State Department.

 

tsap seui

 

Not complaining....jest observing

[Fu Lai]

 

In Fushun, her pay was (is) 2400 RMB a month. Rent for a studio apartment is 500 RMB. So anything worth living in is closer to 1000 RMB.

Buying basic meat like ribs for a meal is an easy 100 RMB. In the US, you could buy ribs for a month or more on that. The same problem with clothes... Relatively speaking, they get much less buying power from what I have seen. And if your living off 30 RMB a month, then your living much more village style instead of socially with family and friends as you will eventually need to pay a lot more for eating out as a group... or your living off everyone else when you go out...

 

We do not eat meat much, never as a standalone dish but 100RMB for ribs? I'll take a pic at the market here because 100 is waaaay too much for a meal of ribs... I'll guesstimate maybe 20RMB. Much cheaper than the USA (again city prices). We took some friends to dinner at a restaurant and the bill for the four of us was just a little over 100, and we took home leftovers. I got a really nice winter coat at this fashion store this year, 200RMB. I guess it is knowing where to shop and eat.

 

30RMB a day:

Breakfast: 3.5 Reganmian and tea -streetfood

Lunch at work: 1.5 Baozi and tea; 3.5 Noodle Veggie and Pork soup; 3 jiaozi

Supper at home: 4 Three vegetables; 3 Meat; 2 Tofu; ...tea and rice

5 Smokes

3 Beer

 

We don't eat at restaurants much, more at family and friends houses where it is cheaper on everyone. We rotate around so when it is our turn we dole out a couple hundred RMB. When we go to their places we bring a bottle of wine 30 RMB. Pretty comfortable life. Again, we are miserly and not extravagant at all.

[Fu Lai]

Good discussion. Yes, the richer folks here can afford the finer things (yes, tsap, 2-5000 for a dress is very extravagant (see the link I gave) - electronics are not cheaper here either) but the Chinese are famous for what? That's right... streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetching the threads out of the yuan. My girl still tells me "my husband costs too much." And I thought I was pretty good at pinching pennies like I had a portable vise.

 

So I see all the cost-cutting measures the normal poorer folks use here. Besides using every different way to use any kind of food, expert shopping, thriftiness in most everything (little heat and electricity, low appliance usage, etc.), not eat out much and my newest discovery... water use.

 

These folks do not waste an ounce. They have bath sinks and showers which drain into a bucket, then use the water to flush the toilet. All kinds of water, if it is not too dirty is relegated to the bucket.

 

I will have to note that the people like us, then the lower wage earners, and even the folks in the sticks (I mean the real sticks - dirt floors, little running water or electricity, etc.) who migrate for low low end wage jobs seem to accept what they have and just try to get more. Folks are experts at getting the needed bang for their RMB.

[MRS. GRAVESTEY]

I agree, Shanghai and Hongkong are very expensive cities to live. Especially if u like high-end lifestyle, u are in for a ride. I live in one of the most expensive areas (XINTIANDI), very good location but very expensive ti keep up, we were actually neighbors with Yao Ming and Jackie Chan. Of course if u dont have the money to level the high-end lifestyle, you have a choice to live a normal lifestyle. You like high class brands, buy somewhere in America or Europe it is a lot cheaper, in Shanghai it is almost double the price due to high added tax, i know that because i am one of the shopaholics, hehehe...but despite Shanghai's expensive living i still love living here, been here for almost half my life, this is where i grew my adult life, but im ready to move on with my married life with my husband.

Edited March 3, 2013 by MRS. GRAVESTEY (see edit history)