As China becomes less a hardship post and more a good career move, foreigners are flocking here. Once considered the Southeast Asian equivalent of Siberia for corporate employees, devoid of cultural events for foreigners and, more importantly for some, Irish bars, many expats in China now enjoy a more metropolitan life than they would back home; and, often, a much higher standard of living. However, cost of living is on the rise in China’s cities, and not just for foreigners. Chinese are also feeling the crunch of inflation and the economic crisis. The job market for Chinese has become cutthroat – witness the near stampedes at job fairs – and a white face is no longer enough to guarantee you a high paying, by Chinese standards, teaching job (or at least those jobs are no longer as plentiful as they once were). Is life in China improving as the country becomes more modern and international? Are the rising prices making it too difficult to live here, especially in the first tier cities? Are you considering going home or, if you’re Chinese, seeking a better life abroad? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section below.

Is living in China getting harder?  

Perspectives seeks to promote dialogue and cross-cultural understanding by featuring Chinese and foreign responses to a single question. Email us to be added to our weekly question mailing list or to suggest questions of your own and feel free to add your perspective in the comments section below.

I think so, especially for those of use who use the internet as our sole means of communication back home. Other than the internet, I guess I don't notice much of a difference from when I first got here 20 or so months ago.
J / US

No way.
T / China

Depends. If you’re a lazy Westerner who thinks you’re owed a lucrative, 20-hour a week “teaching” “job” (and a hot Chinese girlfriend) based on your white face and English degree from a third-rate school then it’s getting harder and it’s about time. On the other hand, if you’re running a company here and looking for better educated, more professional Chinese employees than you’re in luck and your professional life, at least, is getting much easier.
H / US

It is getting a bit like this. The prices keep going higher.
X / China

Living in Beijing is becoming more like the US: traffic, noise and light pollution. Beijing is becoming car-dependent. The increasing number of cars is a real liability for a number of reasons and disrupts Beijing's peaceful green spaces and residential areas.
R / US

No it's getting easier, at least in the major cities like Beijing and Shanghai. The only aspect that is getting tougher is finding good jobs. Now that so many people are studying Chinese and Chinese people themselves can afford better education, the competition is getting tougher and the job requirements/qualifications higher.
S

Maybe easier for foreigners as more Chinese speak English now and there are more foreign restaurants. Life for common Chinese is getting harder. Higher prices but lower salary and less jobs. Many foreigners don’t realize how hard life is for local Chinese.
W / China

Living in China, to me, is a day-to-day experience. Some days it's a breeze - I'm communicating, I'm enjoying, and I just feel at "home". Then there are other days, especially around the holidays, when it just plain sucks. You can get used to the quirky things, I believe, but as long as your passport still indicates a country other than China, it's going to be difficult...always.
J / US

The quality of life is going up in China but it depends what you consider as most quality. Our parents could not buy many foreign clothes or cell phones but these are not the only important things. Health care, jobs, education are all important for Chinese and even if they are improved there are still big issues. Life is more convenient now but also harder.
L / China

I do believe that living in China will become harder and harder, as prices keep going up, while salaries don’t. Moreover, as more and more people move to the coastal cities in search of jobs, things won't get easier. Moreover, by comparison, if you look at your purchase power and revenues, life in Shanghai is more expensive than in Switzerland.
F
 

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