Life in China
Life in China can be a big adjustment for foreigners. Whether you just moved to China for work or you just got married, here are some tips to getting your life in China started on the right foot.
Housing
Housing in China ranges from horrifying to stunning, depending on the price. Availability has increased and there are plenty of platforms available that provide listings of apartments for rent. Most apartments require both first and last month’s rent, a deposit, and if you found the place through an agent, an agency fee. So you can expect to pay 3–4 months rent up front when find a new apartment. Most apartment buildings and individual homes now have electricity, central heating, plumbing, and air-conditioning but finding places without is still possible, even in big cities like Beijing. Take the time thoroughly check out any potential apartments, as landlords in China can be quite adept at hiding flaws until the papers are signed.
Education
If you’re traveling to China with children you’ll definitely want a thorough understanding of the education system in China. Basic education in China includes pre-school, primary school and secondary school. Preschool, which includes kindergarten, can last up to 4 years with children entering as early as age 2, and finishing at age six, when they typically enter elementary school.
The academic year is divided into two semesters. Schools tend to have a shorter summer vacation than their Western counterparts, but are given long holidays for Chinese New Year and National Day in October. Most provinces and cities have both public and private schools. You’ll also find international schools in the larger cities like Shanghai.
Cost of Living
The cost of living in China can vary greatly. Hong Kong, for example, was ranked number 1 in Business Insider’s list of most expensive cities to live in. While a few other Chinese cities were featured in this list, most Chinese cities are relatively inexpensive. For example tier 2 and tier 3 cities in Mainland China might seem like completely different countries with how different they are in price. With low prices for basic goods it is quite possible for foreigners to live relatively cheaply in China, even in large cities like Beijing and Shanghai.
Banks
Here is a list of some Chinese Banks. Foreigners should have no issues opening a bank account at any of these established banks if they have a valid residency permit and visa, although it may be difficult in smaller cities to find a teller who speaks English. You’ll generally be given just a checking account unless specified otherwise. The banks owned by the central government might be the best choices, as they have a large number of ATMs throughout the country. These include, The Agricultural Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of Communications, China CITIC Bank, China Construction Bank, China Development Bank, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), and the Postal Savings Bank of China. Banks owned by local governments can be used as well, these include: China Merchants Bank, China Industrial Bank, Guangdong Development Bank, Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, and Shenzhen Development Bank.
Climate
China is a big country, so naturally the climate depends on where you are living. Hong Kong is characterized by its brutally humid summers, while Beijing is famous for its freezing cold winters. Most parts of China are in the temperate zone, meaning they get all four seasons, but southern areas are considered tropical or subtropical, while northern areas are considered to be frigid climates. Some northern province have no summer, while some southern provinces have no winter. This can make traveling around the country somewhat difficult to plan for. Make sure to check the weather before traveling to different parts of China to prepare accordingly.
Medical Care
Medical care in China can also vary greatly. Some hospitals ask patients to sit on the floor while others treat patients like they are in a 5 star hotel. Of course this depends on price and where you are in China. I personally had a great experience at the Beijing United Family Hospital, but a terrible experience at the China-Japan Friendship Hospital. Although both have great reviews, I received completely different levels of service at these two hospitals. Try out a few hospitals before going in for any major operations to make sure you get the service you expect.
Currency
The Chinese currency is called The Renminbi, and is issued by the People’s Bank of China, China’s central bank. The unit of Renminbi is the yuan and the smaller units are the jiao and fen (10 fen=1 jiao, 10 jiao=1 yuan). Yuan, jiao and fen are issued as paper banknotes but there are also 1 yuan, five jiao and various fen coins. Denominations of banknotes are 1 jiao, 2 jiao, 5 jiao 1 yuan, 2 yuan, 5 yuan, 10 yuan, 20 yuan, 50 yuan and 100 yuan. Fen can only be found in coin form with 1, 2, and 5 denominations. You might be surprised to find that China issues notes for very small amounts of money. 10 Jiao, for example is about 0.012 USD, so these notes will tend to pile up in your wallet. The abbreviation for Chinese currency is RMB and the symbol used for it is ¥. Many hotels and stores throughout the country accept major credit cards. At present, the following credit cards can be used in China: Master Card, Visa Card, and American Express. Holders of these cards can draw cash from the Bank of China, buy goods and pay for purchases at exchange centers of the Bank of China, appointed shops, hotels and restaurants.
Some Useful Phone Numbers
110–Police
119-Fire Department
120– Ambulance/Paramedics
121–Weather forecasts
