is living in china really cheap?

I always see many foreigners on TikTok — travelers or influencers — who are amazed by how cheap China is.

A hotel for only $30 USD. A meal for $2 USD.

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Is that really the truth? And how do local Chinese people actually perceive it?

Let me break it down from where I live: Wuhan, a major city in China.

The Reality for a Local Graduate

According to statistics, a student who just graduated from a four-year full-time university in Wuhan earns around 4,000 RMB per month (about $560 USD).

Now, let’s break down the monthly expenses of a young person living alone in Wuhan:

Food: around 1,000 RMB （200usd）per month

(Eating out or ordering delivery. If you cook at home, it can be cheaper.)

Transportation: 150–600 (20usd-100usd)RMB per month

China has a really good public transportation system. You don’t need to own a car. You can commute by subway and public bus.

Rental: depends on location

If you live in the city center, many people pay around 1,000 RMB (around 130usd)for a small apartment (one bedroom, one living room, one bathroom, and a kitchen). Some areas are more expensive.

Utilities (phone bill + WiFi, etc.): around 200 RMB (~$30 USD)

So, in an ideal situation, after all these expenses, a local graduate has only about 1,000–1,500 RMB (200usd)left in their pocket each month.

Learn about Medium’s values

And that’s assuming they have no social life — no hanging out with friends, no parties, no unexpected costs.

What Can You Do With 1,000 RMB?

Buy a very cheap Android phone with a poor camera.

Take a budget trip to a city like Shanghai for 3 to 5 days (staying in hostels, eating cheaply).

Eat at a local buffet restaurant about 10 times.

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So, as a local Chinese person living in China — do I think China is cheap?

The answer is no.

But What If You Earn in Dollars?

Now, imagine you earn money in the United States and spend it in China.

The average salary for a restaurant worker in the U.S. is around $2,000 USD per month — that’s about 14,000 RMB.

What can you do with 14,000 RMB in China?

After spending money on food, rent, transportation, and utilities — if you live like a recent graduate — you’d still have about 12,000 (1900usd)RMB left in your pocket.

(Though in reality, if you’re earning that much, you probably wouldn’t live like a student — you’d live in better conditions.)

What Can You Do With 12,000 RMB(1900usd)?

Buy 2 brand-new iPhones (the latest base model).

Stay in a nice 5-star hotel for almost 24 days.

(Can you do that in the U.S. or Europe?)

Eat fancy meals every single day — seafood, lobster, you name it.

The Main Point

If you earn in China and spend in China, living here is not cheap.

But if you earn in the U.S. (or any strong-currency country) and spend in China, then China becomes very cheap.

However, the reality is: most people earn in their own country and spend in their own country. They don’t get to earn in dollars and live in China.

So next time you see a TikTok influencer saying “China is so cheap!” — just remember:

It’s cheap for them. But for us, it’s just life.