Examining Life in China’s First Tier Cities for Recent Graduates

Examining Life in China’s First Tier Cities for Recent Graduates
Dec 03, 2015 By eChinacities.com

Editor's Note: 7.5 million Chinese college students graduated this summer, all with high expectations. China has been subsidizing education to the tune of 250 billion USD a year, attempting to transition out of a system where a small group of highly educated elite oversee uneducated workers and into a system composed of a broad educated work force. There are more students enrolling into universities than ever, but the promise of landing a job is colliding with a slowing economy. "Every year it’s the most difficult job-seeking season for graduates in history, and the next year is even more difficult,” said Xiong Bingqi, deputy director of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, a Beijing-based think tank. Most job opportunities are in the top tier cities, so that's where graduates are starting their new lives. However, every city has its advantages and drawbacks. This translated article summarizes the results of a Laguo.com report comparing working life in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing.

Another year, another batch of young Chinese graduates heading into the real world. They are told to avoid Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, but also told at the same time that the best opportunities are in the four first tier cities.

Recent graduates are searching for their dream job, and want to settle down, often far from home in the big city. Armies of young job-seekers head to Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen. For some of them, it is a clear choice to move to a first tier city. Many of them end up leaving, and others come and do not know how to escape.

In 2015, many young people born in the 1990s have been living in big cities and working for three or four years. Life in the big cities comes with a lot of pressure. What kind of life do young people in China have in first tier cities? DiDi Travel and Lagou.com recently published a report comparing life in China’s four major international cities for young Chinese as a reference for new graduates.

Expensive Food, Pricey Rent
Food prices are higher in major cities, especially meals out. In Shanghai and Beijing, an average meal is about 30 Yuan, and in Guangzhou, a cheap meal cost 21 Yuan. Guangzhou is the cheapest city for groceries including milk, rice, eggs, and other staples.

Guangzhou is much cheaper than Shanghai when it comes to rent. A three-bedroom in downtown Shanghai costs 11,098 Yuan per month, more than twice as much as one in Guangzhou. You could rent a three-bedroom downtown in Guangzhou for the cost of a one-bedroom in Shanghai.

However, salaries are the lowest in Guangzhou. Young graduates in Beijing earn the most, with an average starting salary of 4,915 Yuan. Shanghai grads make the second most, and Shenzheners come third. Young graduates in Guangzhou only earn slightly more than 3,000 Yuan per month.

After ten years, Beijingers are still earning the most. After ten of years of working in Beijing, graduates earn an average of 20,000 Yuan. Those in Shanghai earn 18,000. Graduates working long-term in Guangzhou earn the least: 15,000 Yuan after ten years.

That Metro Life
Commuting is the worst, especially in huge Chinese cities. Young Beijing graduates have the longest commute to work. They travel an average of 19.2 km. Shanghai graduates travel 18.82 km, those in Guangzhou travel 15.16 km, and Shenzheners have the easiest commutes with an average of 13.97 km. It takes Beijing graduates 52 minutes on average to get to work. In Shanghai, the average commute for young workers is also 52 minutes. In Guangzhou it is 46 minutes. Those in Shenzhen have it best with only a 40 minute commute.

Entry level positions often have to deal with overtime. However, in all four cities the average overtime for young graduates is only an hour or so, after 7 pm. Beijing workers have slightly more overtime with an average of 61 minutes.

Tech companies often have long hours. At Xiaomi, it does not count as overtime until workers are there after 9 pm. Before that, it is just normal work. China’s BAT companies (Baidu, Alibaba, and Tencent) all have varying overtime policies and standards.

Fast Times in First-Tier Cities
Young Chinese often go out when living in the big city. 36.6 percent of young workers in Guangzhou stay out late on the weekends. The second largest number of young people stay out in Shenzhen, followed by Shanghai and Beijing.

Where do they go out? Young Beijing workers like to party at Sanlitun and Wudaokou. Shenzheners like OCT Harbor, those in Guangzhou like Tianhe Sports Center, and Shanghaiers either like different spots around the city or don’t like going out at all. For most, going out isn’t just about drinking: young Chinese in first-tier cities like the cinema, going shopping, travelling and playing sports.

First-tier cities have tons of start-ups and innovators. 80 percent of young Chinese have an idea for a start-up, for only 1 percent end up actually starting their own business. 59.26 percent have a clear idea for a business, and 21.3 percent just have a lot of entrepreneurial ambitions. Being a CEO of a start-up is a great dream, and for most Chinese it is just that- a dream.

Beijing has the most start-ups of the four cities. 50 percent of start-ups in the four cities are in Beijing. The capital is a paradise for entrepreneurs. Shanghai has the second most start-ups, followed by Shenzhen and Guangzhou.

High prices and low incomes make living in first-tier cities tough for young Chinese graduates. However, the job opportunities cannot be found anywhere else in China and life in general is pretty fun for young people.

Source: inews.qq.com

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Keywords: college graduates work China graduates city

6 Comments

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Guest2301262

Packed sardines.

Dec 04, 2015 20:11 Report Abuse

Benjamin321

Actually kind of an interesting article. The Chinese citizens in SZ also like to get together to unwind in the Baishizhou area as well as OCT. The difference is largely economic.

Dec 04, 2015 13:59 Report Abuse

Englteachted

I smell propaganda.

Dec 04, 2015 06:37 Report Abuse

bill8899

hmmm

Dec 03, 2015 21:55 Report Abuse

dom87

average 20000 RMB after 10 years? Already quite high, actually most I met in my working life earned less than that, so wonder if it is true. That would also mean the salaries are now higher than in Europe. Why would anyone soon outsource anything to china anymore. I guess china economy will slowly die

Dec 03, 2015 16:55 Report Abuse

Guest2503130

Life is tough enough for laowais, never mind Chinese returnees!

Dec 03, 2015 15:12 Report Abuse