Cost of Living in Shenzhen, China

[@HJ-nj2jq]

Me, a Chinese living in the US, listening to an American living in China talking about how convenient it’s to pay everything via wechat and feeling amazed XD

[@daijohn2441]

go home soon

[@tramyhuynh4209]

@@daijohn2441 shut up

[@dahai6937]

$833 a month living in Shenzhen is cheap, you go to all the expensive restaurants all the time but you still don't spend that much, that's wonderful you have a good life in China.

[@paulsumkw]

CHN 山

[@suburbanite11]

Dahai when you consider the local salary, it’s not such a bargain.

[@MrTonyZane]

suburbanite11 $1,500/month

[@azaz911c]

China looks amazing, like looking into the future. It's even more amazing when you remember how different China was just 20 or 30 years ago.

[@WheresPoppy]

It is very futuristic, especially where I live. It's crazy I almost want to make a video just talking about how there's so many things here that feel so futuristic!

[@ericliume]

Then why not? Just do it. We would love to see it.

[@qicheng802]

buddy 30 years can change a lot

[@CandyD894]

China also still has many poor places，China just a nice and ordinary country.

[@hipsonsogbo]

China's 2019 anniversaries:March 17: 60 years since the Dalai Lama fled TibetApril 25: 20 years since the Falun Gong sit-in protest, which eventually led to the group's repressionMay 4: 100 years since the May Fourth MovementJune 4: 30 years since the Tiananmen Square massacreJuly 5: 10 years since the Urumqi riots in Xinjiang Autonomous RegionOctober 1: 70 years since the founding of the People's Republic of ChinaDecember 20: 20 years since Macau was transferred by Portugal to Chinese rule

[@LLee0]

This video is a little out of date. In Shenzhen, you can now use your mobile app to pay for public transportation, not cards. I had one of these cards a few years back. Within two years, I had to return the card and the card balance was refunded.

[@alexzhang3398]

Everything about Shenzhen becomes outdated in a year or two :)

[@ociabi]

Is it more expensive

[@MrZeucho]

@@ociabi No it's still same price, still cheap. I was there last time December 2019.

[@booneguy]

Really cool to see you showing the great sides of China. China is so developed that the last time I've got a chance to experience the contrasts of hanging out in less wealthy and very wealthy areas really opened my eyes. I used to spend my time whatever places I randomly ended up to because I traveled a lot solely by walking through dozens of blocks to experience the local culture. Many cities in China is so financially secured that a normal person (salary of 2000-3000 US dollars/month) can't afford to spend money to live nor shop monthly - like Shenzhen, Chongqing, Foshan or Changsha. But I'm glad you enjoyed being in a country where my roots are from :) I'd love to visit the place ASAP as well. Thanks for showing some places.

[@Dr.Farhanullah]

Finally someone talking in a positive way about China. Other vloggers from China are very negative about almost everything. Thumbs up to you

[@taosu2554]

Farhan Ullah actually just Winston, cmilk etc. The new batch of vloggers are all very positive I find.

[@carlosedwardos]

Winston & Cmilk are not negative, they are HONEST - both positive and negative, because China is truly a mix of positive and negative!

[@MaTtRoSiTy]

burrito rustler exactly. Hell I hated China but their vids made me want to visit. Though to be honest I think Japan is more my kind of place, more civilised...

[@yumiko0017]

Farhan Ullah everyone has different experiences.

[@hipsonsogbo]

@@MaTtRoSiTy Japan is a totally different society, Taiwan is what China could learn to be if they weren't so brain dead in mainland China

[@01LuvDan]

I think the rent should not be split by 2 persons, even you're only one person living in China, the rent will be closed to 2 persons' expense, especially the apartment like that, 1 person or 2 persons doesn't make any difference. May be it will save you a little bit, but not too much.

[@johnomirth]

I thought the same thing.

[@banjiu10]

Yes one person's rent is larger than 2 persons' rent divided by 2. This applies everywhere.

[@mliv695]

Damn right

[@garvingray]

I was going to make the same comment on apartment costs. Single person for apartment would almost be the same as two person, except maybe smaller size. Poppy also did not mention with transportation that foreigners can need to take their passports in certain situations. Overall though, very good video

[@yiliali4947]

01LuvDan exactly.!

[@timothyh7005]

Thank you SO MUCH for posting this!! I recently took a job teaching in China, will leave soon, and needed an idea of what my expenses will be each month. So far from what I have gathered (not just from you, but other people as well) the expenses are very reasonable!

[@kenyup5424]

Tim Higgins friendly remind you you should buy a vpn before you go,cause it's a must have for an expats who live in china

[@justinty4655]

welcome toChina

[@JBbisem]

I like reading the comments and replies after you've posted a video. It's like there's a small community that's formed around your videos and people get help and clarity on some questions without you having to respond. Pretty cool.

[@andymao0109]

That “misting tree” is trying to humidify the area that people usually walk by, so people feel more comfortable because it is kind of hot during summer in Shenzhen. I'm from Guangzhou, our BRT(Bus Rapid Transit) stations also have this similar humidifier to let people feel cool when they are waiting for their buses. Love your video, keep up the good work : )

[@Bob_just_Bob]

The misting tree is like a kind of air conditioning. Hot summer days you walk through the mist and it will cool you right down. Because you’re in a hot region they will have this for maybe 2/3 to 3/4 of the year. It’s not alway in the shape of a tree either. Sometimes they just have random pipes spraying mist under overhead walkways etc. Enjoy it.

[@mastaklass]

Another great video, Poppy. You are always well-researched and professional, and as someone who has already lived in China, in Zhengzhou, for over 4 years, I always like watching your videos to see your perspective, and how expats live in other cities.

[@glu1324]

Gray Cee she should do a skype interview with you on your experiences. Have you as a special guest ! ☺

[@SamerTabbal]

You spend more than 50% on housing, if you search for new apartments you can easily save around 1500 rmb/month to use in other categories and indulge yourself more.

[@glu1324]

Samer Tabbal or she can work harder to drive up youtube revenue. Lowering her standards wont help her achieve her goals

[@SamerTabbal]

Saving money doesn't mean lowering ones standard, there is always better bargains especially in China, they always build more and expand cities, that means more empty apartments and more chance to find something better for less.

[@JSOChan-er5lj]

Well, the area she lives is above average, is more expat friendly, so it costs relatively more than many other areas in shenzhen.

[@glu1324]

J.S.O. Chan Wherever she is happy and can work well from ☺

[@hawklee1983]

Fewer money, worse living environment.

[@manukalias]

I am from India and returned from shenzhen yesterday, as this was my first trip to China, I really missed my cheap Indian food and getting Indian food is expensive in China, but Shenzhen is a place which can make you a hero in electronics related business, you need to have a vision and these guys would turn it i to reality for a very affordable price. Loved Shenzhen and looking forward to get a business opportunity to visit again.

[@caroldoles3495]

So glad to hear positive of a country we’ve been taught to fear. It’s beautiful there and it don’t see any smog😊

[@letsdoodlesomethinghome3404]

Yes, it is actually great if you if try not to DEAD FOCUS on it’s bad sides. Every country has its flaws but there are also great things about it. China is a great country but it’s just very controversial:/

[@rentisme]

@@letsdoodlesomethinghome3404 I disagree about the 'dead focus' there is more bad than people realise but is not as bad as the media will make out, I find SerpentZA and Laowhy86 do a good job avcurately depicting it (obv don't take their vids specifically on like bad things as example) but I still think it's awesome (not lately but a year or so ago)

[@alanOHALAN]

tap water in China is actually semi-potable, meaning it is ok to drink but officially it needs to be boiled just in case. if you don't drink a ton at a time it really is fine. the big bottled water is spring water, e.g. fancy. you can just boil a pot of tap water, and put into a water jar and drink it through out the day. the coffee or tea they make in the shops are just boiled tap water.

[@thesincitymama]

alanOHALAN that’s what they told me at first, but I was sick all the time until I switched to bottled water only. Some people are more sensitive, apparently

[@alanOHALAN]

Yes I guess now the pollution is pretty bad it can affect the water at some places I guess. so how about boiled tap water, does it make you sick too? thats what most people drink there.

[@phatpeechez]

The problem with the tap water (even boiled) is the heavy metals and sediment. Boiling is not going to get rid of that. Yes, almost all locals are drinking it on a daily basis but I still wouldn't consider it ideal or "ok"

[@alanOHALAN]

I know what you mean. I wonder if it can be tested. I know that the tap water in China doesn't have fluoride, which the American tap water has.

[@davidzan9190]

Do you know there are lots of USA city have heavy metals and sediment problem in the tap water www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-lead-testing/

[@simonbrown8593]

Brilliant, I am living in Shenzhen, been here for 4 years, it's an awesome city, full of possibilities.

[@MichaelJohnson-]

Yeah say one wrong thing against them and the possibilities of where you go to be executed are endless.

[@RC-rv2kj]

I found that this Vlog was uploaded in 2017. Well, if you have a chance to travel/live in Shenzhen (or any other Chinese top tier city) again in 2019, you will find it more convinient: 1) Smart card (metro card, bus card etc.) has nearly been taken down, you can use a QR code in wechat or use cell phone (via apple pay) to take the metro; 2) A high-speed railway has been constructed between Shen Zhen an Hong Kong, you can take a HSR from the center of Shen Zhen (Futian) and center of Hong Kong (west Koo-loon) spending ONLY 14 minutes (on-train time) and 75 RMB (which is 11 dollars). Welcome you to come again~

[@hsjdnbdmdss]

I miss China so bad，I'm currently a college student in US，seriously… US's public transportation is a joke， and the need of bubbletea is driving me crazy🙃

[@chopaface]

That’s so weird. I am from Toronto. I was in Denver for 1 week and was suddenly craving for REAL Asian food and bubble tea. Funny thing is that I don’t normally drink bbtea XD.....

[@skrrtskrrt9453]

You should study in Australia. But housing prices are way more expensive

[@ycarl8272]

I'm a Chinese and living in the UK now, trust me, buddy, the public transportation ain't a joke if you ever saw what the British did

[@noyakastro4801]

relatable

[@ferdnandowang2688]

@@chopaface Zhen Zhu Nai Cha is booble tea

[@TomCRitucci]

Great video. Considering Shenzhen is the silicon valley of the East, I'm paying 4 grand a month for a single room apartment in the silicon valley of the West. That looks like a pretty good deal!

[@andyliu8905]

Hi Poppy, I am a student and I am studying in Florida right now, Shenzhen is my hometown. And my family lives really close to you now which is in Mangrove bay.I use to studying English in the building that just beside Hi-tech park station. I love to go to the costal city and coco-park. I love to ride bikes around the Shenzhen Bay. I watched every videos that you made in Shenzhen. The scenes are so familiar to me. I felt I came back home. I miss Shenzhen!

[@weizhang2834]

Andy Liu 这种没有意义的回复最好少点，情商

[@zhaoxunyan4016]

你这似乎是和po主对着干啊，一个从美帝跑到中帝，一个从中帝跑到美帝。

[@olivia6117]

并不觉得没用意义啊 看到一个人在你熟悉的地方生活总是很开心的 还有exploring world 总是很好的 不管美国人来中国 还是中国人去美国啊

[@吴维彦]

Wei Zhang 逗比，别人离开家乡，看到有人分享家乡的内容开心都不能留言？

[@mliv695]

Mangrove bay, must be rich🙃

[@mikeeeeeee1000]

Your math is wrong. One person will still need to rent a apartment while two people can share only one apartment instead of rent two apartment

[@PeterReefman]

Most singles here share an apartment. Or get a cheaper one (mine is 1,200CNY per month)

[@doctormartina]

Poppy did you say 5500 rmb a month?😱 I live in Liaoning province and that was the price I payed as rent for a year of a well furnished one room apartment I used to live in. 😳 apartments in Shenzhen are really expensive.

[@sean-hg3dp]

5500 rmb rent is not so expensive in Shenzhen. The rent yield would be low as 2.5 ~3%. Good deal for poppy.

[@tomsonwang7405]

5500rmb is not expensive...

[@ChenChen-nl1of]

Liaoning can’t compare to Shenzhen ,i live in Jilin which is next to liaoning and i live in a medium city ,450$ can pretty cover every cost of one month( I have my own house ) and this include eating out ,internet and everything.but except if you want to buy some really expensive foreign brand cloth or shoes.

[@zhichaochen4282]

Teenahs Lounge As Shenzhen is one of the top 3 cities ( Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen) in mainland China, ¥5500 is a pretty fair price.

[@issachigga]

5500 its okay for shenzhen, from where i live in KaiPing(2hr drive from guangzhou) only 1000rmb

[@MrEltiggermalo]

This was one of the few breakdowns, of any cost of living, that was systematic, intelligent, useful, and entertaining. Thank you so much, it was fun watching this video. Hope to see more of your content.

[@CynthiaBeaumont]

Very informative, seems like it's the same costs for us living near NYC.

[@kenyup5424]

Hi poppy,you can buy import products in Hong Kong,there are much cheaper than in Shenzhen,since the import products didn't need to pay the import tax there.for example the iPhone ten is cost 7300 RMB in Hong Kong while in China cost 8300 RMB.

[@johnomirth]

Thanks for the tip!

[@anaa2606]

I love your channel! Thank you for making these kinds of videos,they are very usefull!

[@lindsaygoodwin3140]

You can't just cut the costs in half, because single people will enevidably end up paying more for rent and utilities.

[@ksa-g869]

Greetings from Saudi Arabia, and many thanks for your great informative videos . I am moving to Shenzhen in the near future and I am learning more about it via watching videos and reading . I wish you a very happy life

[@almoemason]

If you are calculating living expenses for one, you can't divide the rent in half.

[@lenplexlin7945]

Almoe Mason Just rent a small one that not cost that much.

[@MavisCCC]

Is getting a roommate not that common in China?

[@almoemason]

@@MavisCCC How would I know, I've never been to China.

[@MavisCCC]

@@almoemason well I don't know either, but that's immediately what I thought. It doesn't seem like a very strange idea to get a roommate unless it's known that in China that doesn't happen 🤔

[@almoemason]

@@lenplexlin7945 First, let me say even though I have spent 30 years travling the world, and have spent a good amount of time in Asia. I have never been to China. So, I was not making a statement about renting in China per say. I was making a statement about making the assumption there would always be a couple, and math. If there is not two then you cannot divide the rent in half. Jezz ... stop overthinking things folks

[@ffionelisa5655]

Hey Poppy! I've been watching your videos for a while but I just really want to say that I love your style! So informative and to the point, interesting too. Your now one of my favorite travel vloggers because of this. Keep it up :)

[@WheresPoppy]

Thank you so much!

[@booknerdzalina]

Hi,I am a Shenzhen Girl, I hope you like your life in Shenzhen. May be one day we can have a coffee together lol .Love your video~

[@WheresPoppy]

Haha maybe!

[@刘振东-y7s]

我也在深圳，我们也可以一起喝咖啡

[@goulianchawnmang4984]

I thought KZbin is banned in China..

[@chilldragon4752]

@@goulianchawnmang4984 it is, but people use a VPN and watch anything they want. Even can use Google.

[@qlchow5012]

so we can.

[@nyxdoc2801]

Thank you so much for sharing. We love you here in Iran 🇮🇷

[@xiangxi4724]

very objective analysis and introduction. I live in Shenzhen for five years and I can say you are definitely right.

[@ntuluki]

Thank you Poppy, one day will like to send my daughter to study in China, you video was very insightful. I wish my daughter grows strong like you look/do

[@547-d7l]

where are u from

[@ysadstore]

As a Shanghainese living in Australia I found your video so interesting - it offers such a different perspective into Chinese / Shenzhen life!

[@stephenxi816]

Love your vlog! I subscribed at the first glance of your video because the way you talk like a close friend to audiences ---you are always exciting and passionate about your adventure in China, having an open mind and respect different cultures . It's so interesting to see how China changes or differ from America through your lenses. Your video will break stereotypes & help people from other cultures better understanding China. BTW, hope you enjoyed your Thanksgiving while you are far away from home.

[@WheresPoppy]

Wow your comment made me smile so much I can't even stop smiling haha Thank you so much for your kind words! My Thanksgiving consisted of pasta but oh well, next time haha..Happy Thanksgiving!

[@13noman1]

Thanks! We first went to Shenzhen ~ 18 years ago. At that time, it was quite industrial. What a change!! If you compare those costs to say, NYC or LA it's quite a bargain!

[@dereksbooks]

Rent is extremely low compared to Hong Kong, which is one of the most expensive places in the world.

[@juliejones6965]

Great job breaking it down! I love that your travel blog is so informative! That was good advice of your friend to differentiate yourself and include your journalism background!

[@guochanning30]

Before came to Australia I also work and live in shenzhen it’s a very good city and what you show in your radio are so familiar to me .

[@jinskyjoyous]

radio？ video？

[@ElementEvilTeam]

$833 is a bargain! Costs $2000/month to rent an apartment in my city.

[@lwx3655]

What a 2nd world filth troll xd

[@WheresPoppy]

When I lived in LA, I paid $650 a month to split a bedroom three ways in an apartment with 5 of us total. For all my expenses to be this cost works great for me! haha

[@lwx3655]

China and USA seems very alike in price, and considering China has so way more population compare to USA. But i think this guy is a troll saying it cost $2000/month to rent an Apartment.

[@paoDaoGe]

rent for a 2-bed rooms apartment in downtown Vancouver (new building, built in 2015) is CDN$4,200, which is roughly USD$3305 so... you might want to do some research first before calling other people "troll".

[@lwx3655]

Some New Luxus Apartment i dont doubt is Worth that much, but a normal Apartmants dont cost that much. How many People in Your country u think will afford 3305usd a month just for Apartment? xd

[@endlessspace.8776]

That's really cheap, in Australia you will spend over $800 per week per person if you rent, more with a mortgage. Its very expensive in OZ.

[@samanthamartinez9114]

That is so cheap.I'm single with very few monthly expenses in Denver and I pay $1,500. And I don't go out much, I don't shop much, or drink much.

[@222222225574]

Will you marry me and move to China together!?

[@monmaxwitnaojulgri6032]

@Rusty what's a DACA?

[@junweihe8229]

Hey Poppy. Awesome video! I'm a 27 year old male Chinese originally from Shenzhen currently studying and living in Berlin Germany. I'm fluent in Chinese, Cantonese,English and German.I'm planning on moving back to Shenzhen after graduation deal to career choices and one of the things I would probably miss back home would be the multicultrual atmosphere and diversity,until I saw your video. And of course I am also happy to see our city and country been shown to the rest of the world, I also wanna be a part of it. I suppose having a local friend with language skills will assit you both in life and further video making. Let me know if you are interested in getting in contact, and maybe we can even hang out in Shenzhen in the near future.

[@Itthew]

My Dad is a music teacher in Shenzhen and when I was a kid we were pulled over by cops. But after the cops heard my parents are teachers, they let us go and said how much they respect teachers. Hope this can give u an idea the status difference between teachers in China and the States. Teacher have always been the most respected occupation since ancient China. Local teachers can easily make a fortune by outside tutoring. In my international school, a teacher with a non-Chinese passport earned, back in 2009, around US$6000 per month, on top of housing benefits etc. And what a contrast compared to the US treat their teachers in Oklahoma, West Virginia and Arizona.

[@WheresPoppy]

Unfortunately this is true, teachers in the US who aren’t professors get little to no pay and it’s ridiculous because university costs so much!

[@Itthew]

Exactly Poppy ! Not to mention I am a California Resident and if I would pay EXACTLY the same to attend an university in Colorado or New York if I were to apply as an international student from Shenzhen... :(

[@franciscocevallos5084]

That's right Wi Fi in China is everywhere,thanks to the company ZTE,That same company tried to connect the whole Phillippines by Wi Fi but lots of politics and bribery halted the project,there is a new administration now in the Phillippines,I hope ZTE will try again to connect the entire Phillippines with Wi Fi so the Phillippines will smoothly flow in trade,business,etc

[@powerrising4933]

ZTE is a Chinese company,maybe they don't trust us.

[@鹏仔-u8k]

I think foreigners can choose the other cities in China, such as Nanjing city and Chengdu city, very beautiful and modern cities but might be cheaper than Shenzhen.

[@mr.a9647]

I lived in Jiangxi province for 3 years. It's very cheap there.

[@shaunmoreno301]

Great cost breakdown. Whether this is sustainable depends largely on the income-side of things. I'd be interested in a video on what the income ranges are for certain occupations there. For example, would an individual in accounting with a six-figure salary in the US expect to make the same there? Or does everything get downgraded because you're not a fluent speaker or non-native?

[@t.4184]

You go poppy!!! Such informative video!!! I love it so much.

[@jamesdon2052]

Some pictures make me homesick. I lived in Shenzhen for 3 years.

[@jerald9008]

The cheese you bought is buy one get one free(买一送一), did you notice it?

[@jerald9008]

ohh, just found u got two

[@WheresPoppy]

It was a bargain that day! Normally that's the price for 1 so I obviously needed to indulge haha

[@fk3993]

Poppy you should open a cheese shop in China.

[@rhythmmaster4128]

@@fk3993 no, should smuggle cheese from the US to China.

[@outphase27liu25]

I have been loved in Shenzhen for 10 years~ miss the city so much~

[@terranceknows]

What???

[@hanchen3932]

buy cheese on taobao

[@leixu6033]

lol lol!LOL

[@johnnyshan1632]

might be fake lol

[@Petergp]

In China the Fake stuff. Send to the west for sell . In China! All Real stuff . No Fake using in China . LOL .

[@weiwenwwe2066]

Make your own cheese, even cheaper

[@Shmi911]

I was on a vacay to HK and we also went to Shenzhen. Transportation in HK isn't expensive compared to some countries in Europe, but in Shenzhen it really costs almost nothing :D. I also want to say that I have higher monthly costs living here in Mid Europe and I would probably feel happier living in South China. *Awesome video btw.*

[@longmirecorey]

I’m strongly considering moving here this December as an English teacher from Japan. I just hope my school covers my cost for living while also paying me a high salary of atleast 18,000rmb

[@tonyzhang2791]

I believe that “tree” there in the video is a new tech for lowering PM 2.5 levels that’s also implemented in other cities across China.

[@RespectOthers1]

You're so punctual...a new video at around 4am (London time). Many more KZbin videos to be watched today but doubt any will top this...lovely lifestyle insight, beautiful visuals and clear expenditure analysis combined with a free maths lesson. P.S. Those bicycles are screaming to be toppled like dominoes! :D

[@WheresPoppy]

Thank you for noticing, I've been trying really hard to be consistent! hahaha your domino comment is hilarious! And thank you so much I'm glad my video was good it took me a while to make! :)

[@jenniferlorence185]

That City Where You Live in Looks a Lot More Clean and Modern than Any City in the USA by far.

[@guochanning30]

Jennifer Lorence yeah this is the best City in China ,it’s new and creative and let young people to achieve their goals. I used to live in Shenzhen for 4 years and I will come back there .

[@archie764]

wait till you see the smaller cities and villages in China littered with Garbage water so polluted you would not wash your dog in it

[@frankfleming1103]

@@archie764 can you tell me which small city or villages? you know it but the environmental satellite and The ministry of environmental protection and the ministry of land and resources don't know it?

[@嘟嚕嘟嚕噠噠噠]

王青峰 。

[@furryface1057]

thats about it for me too in Quebec Canada , my rent is 564 $ for a studio apartment , internet and home phone is 86 $ a month , i don't have a cell phone , heating and electricity is included in the rent cost , food i never eat out too expensive , i cook it at home roughly 100 $ a month , plus i go dumpster diving quite often to find stuff i can't always afford to buy and i smoke

[@MichaelEagleton]

Cool video and informative overview of what it is costing you to live here in Shenzhen, well done.

[@qianjia7303]

Hi Poppy,As a Chinese from the second tier city currently living in hk, I think your monthly expenses are moderate for a person living in Shenzhen but so much lower than in hk😭

[@kenyup5424]

QIAN JIA Would you mind to expose your monthy expense?

[@glu1324]

Ken Yup yeah. I'd like to know too. Is it possible for you to live in shzh and travel to hk for work ?

[@hcui7456]

sammy fuente renting a same studio in HK will cost more than all the costs combined in her video. Not to mention other costs...

[@qianjia7303]

Since I am a student now, I rent the apartment in a relatively low price at hk$5000. I can save a lot money eating in university canteen, but if you eat out each meal normally may cost you hk$50-100

[@qianjia7303]

Oh forgot to say 5000 is just for an about 4 square meters room, I shared the kitchen and bathroom with three other roommates

[@ssk.i.t.7008]

Happy Holiday's!!!

[@lz4737]

Happy Thanksgiving Poppy!!!

[@cks5148]

Politically not correct, we Chinese wont celebrate Thanksgiving .

[@alanOHALAN]

it is said onto her so it is correct politically because of her heritage

[@WheresPoppy]

@L Z Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

[@starlingwatch3921]

The misting tree in front of the mall is a feng shui thing. It's important to put a water feature at the entrance of something. That's why Hong Kong Disneyland has the big fountain at the entrance. -Frank

[@agoodchow]

Your presentation is indeed very good and clear, unlike many others.

[@Eddie-ho1pd]

Hi Poppy! you know what? Now SZ Metro (and Metros in many cities) can use QR code via Wechat!

[@zzzzzzzhen]

Shenzhen is my city. But I have not been back there for more than 5 years. There are so many places I used to visit a lot in this video. I teared up because of all the memories. TT Thank you so much for showing me how it looks like now.

[@oumaimad5662]

Hi Poppy! Thank you sooo much for all your videos, I learned way more than you can imagine and I'm so thankful for that and you! I have a video suggestion, why don't you make a video showing us newbies how to use wechat to pay for things and that sort of stuff? I'm moving to China soon and I would love to see a demo!

[@Rakkasan06]

they have it in English

[@oumaimad5662]

Rakkasan06 Hi! I know it's in English but what i mean is how she pays for stuff with it, like at restaurants, renting bikes etc. Like what procedure you take for wiring money into wechat. i also think it would be a fun video if she showed all the things you can do with wechat!

[@kenyup5424]

Hi there,you have to creat a bank account in China first,then link the wechat pay to that bank account.then you can pay with such app. pay money is simply,every restaurant and store provided QR code for you,you scan it within that app,then input your password,that's.

[@oumaimad5662]

Ken Yup thank you Ken! 🙏

[@perfectstudents8361]

Just last week (mid-November 2017), two China vloggers posted videos about China as a cashless society and on how they used smart phones to pay for everything via Wechat or Alipay. Here's the link: Syifa Adriana from Indonesia: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qHq5i3WJYpuVo5Y. OR Kenan: kzbin.info/www/bejne/mXSvnmV5eM1ofsk

[@funny-video-YouTube-channel]

*China is not cheap anymore.* Some Chinese people even migrate to Europe, because it's cheaper to buy a flat in here, than in Shenzhen of Shanghai. So they buy an expensive flat and get a residency from that. Then they open up shops or a coffee places, or a restaurants, because it's impossible for them to get a regular career, since it's difficult to enter a high paying career, if not super duper educated with lot's of local experience. The good thing for the Chinese people is that they are not afraid to work from 10am to 10 pm, if they own a business.

[@eigobike3929]

The purpose is to move money offshore and to get a EU residency. Not to avoid China cost-of-living.

[@callahancovington4278]

My rent alone is $2,000 per month for 1 person. But you can't exactly divide your number in half because for example, your apt would cost the same if 1 person lived in it.

[@WheresPoppy]

Yes that's true but it's just an estimate

[@skylinec83]

I'd personally set the 5500RMB as a set price instead of dividing it by 2. I think most people don't have the luxury of living with a spouse or partner. Estimate conservatively.

[@sarpkaya1786]

skylinec83 i agree!

[@jrwitdog8814]

I have rented a small 1b1b apt in Nanshan, Shenzhen, which costed me 3500RMB per month one year ago.

[@JianweiChen2015]

The increasing rental cost is pushing people out of Shenzhen

[@ZaidKlundert]

Jianwei Chen foreigners live only in China because they have a big business in developing games etc. 🙂

[@crystalharp210]

Jianwei Chen that’s everywhere now

[@pathfinder54321]

I enjoyed watching your video as always. And you are funny as hell. The end cracked me up. Thank you, Poppy.

[@WheresPoppy]

Haha thank you! I wasn't sure if the ending would have been too much but I just love those socks so I couldn't resist haha

[@puzhao1639]

Yep, the number is reasonable, in most of big city in China like Shanghai or Beijing.

[@kennethli8]

I lived in these first tier cities -- Shanghai, Shenzhen, and Beijing. Beijing is the most expensive from food, rent, and especially luxury goods.

[@iheartchina8160]

Super fun to see what Shenzhen costs are like . . . Shanghai is also pretty expensive. Now, living in Dali, we see lower costs!!!! Hope you have some more China videos soon!!!

[@jiahuayu5836]

Poppy, the Internet in China can be bought as a monthly package. It us probably 50 rmb per month if you use China mobile.

[@BlackWolf42-]

That figure you posted is awesome. To me, 833USD a month for everything is an incredible deal!

[@stephfilly]

We moved to Shenzhen last month! Your internet bill is totally different than ours though..ours is a set fee and is included in our rent. It was the same when we were living in Harbin but we paid per month.

[@GoYvon]

Same here. We just renewed our internet for another 2 years. We had to pay it ourselves, wasn't included in the rent.

[@wenniezhu]

Clockwork Lemon different internet providers. China telecom is the most expensive and the best while the other smaller providers have more competitive plan price

[@johnhigonnet9428]

It depends on where you live and which carrier you chose. It can be quite different.

[@ryanyan9182]

Did you escaped Harbin when it comes to winter?

[@stephfilly]

oh yes, living in Shenzhen for the winter

[@TheGolfdaily]

Great video. Thanks for sharing.

[@oceano502]

One thing I need to mention is, in China, people’s average monthly salary are just around 500 US dollars, which is really low. In Shenzhen it may be around 1000 US dollars. So those living cost in China are fairly cheap to Americans who earn their salary in United States, but are REALLY STRESSFUL to people who are general class in China, because the living cost are so high compare to salary, especially the housing, even renting a home.

[@alexandralu5289]

Hey Poppy! Love your video! SOOOOOOOO excited!! Can you actually organize a fan meeting in Shenzhen? I'm heading back to Shenzhen for the Christmas after finals!!

[@DavidIstre]

The important thing to remember is that your experience in China will vary greatly from place to place; your experience will depend on your needs, situation, place, and goals. If you like buying lots of cheap things and partying, then China will be really good for you. If you have a family and care about things like education, health care, and having access to the open internet, then China will be very frustrating to you because the pollution is bad for young children, internet is blocked, the health care system can be very bad (depending on your access to high quality, Western hospitals), and international schools are very expensive (upwards of 20k to 50k RMB a year).

[@brianxyz]

Is Shenzhen a 24/7 city? For example, does the subway run 24/7, Walmart stay open all the time, etc.? How much does a gym membership cost? I remember in a few of your videos from a short awhile ago a guy kept trying to get you to join but you never did mention the cost.

[@kenyup5424]

brianxyz Hi there,Shenzhen is 24/7 city,however the metro is likely closed in 12am and start in 7am,McDonald's and KFC and 7-11 are 24 hours opened.Wal-Mart is likely closed in 10pm,GYM membership is cost around 2000 rmb to 4000 RMB annually

[@7212372frank]

Ken Yup I think you meant 12am which is midnight. 12pm is noon time

[@kenyup5424]

Frank Zhao Oh I have typed wrong,thank you

[@mliv695]

Shenzhen is more of a working man city, meaning it wakes up at 8 am and sleeps by 11 pm

[@aogalee5369]

Shenzhen is not a 24/7 city according to your definition but literally it feels like a 24/7 city if you live there, grocery shops are open 24h, although metro closes at midnight, you can still take night buses and taxis anytime you want. especially restaurants, you guys may notice that Chinese people are extremely hardworking that it's just so easy to find places to have fun and have meal through out the whole night. But I have to say there are several more "24/7" cities in China which are even more convenient than Shenzhen like Beijing, Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu.

[@laistephen754]

You can’t calculate your total monthly expenditures and divided by two as per person expense, because if you live alone the rent or food or utility bills would be solely paid by you and no one else.

[@Outfotech1]

I really enjoyed your elaborate presentation, its really beutiful and informative

[@Fightyourego]

Please note that the rent for two people will be the same for one.. Cannot really be cut in half.

[@syncmaster915n]

Surely the rent can be halved. When i was in college i cohabited with my girlfriend. We opened a joint bank account and each contributed x number of dollars per month. We drew money out of it for general expenses such as rent phone (land line) cable etc. For entertainment and eating out we used our own money. It's almost down the middle.

[@califlorican]

syncmaster915n I think they're referring to the fact that if she was single, she'd still be paying the same amount of rent (unless she got a roommate, but might be difficult in a studio apartment). So saying to cut 11,000 rmb in half to show what your cost of living could be is not exactly right.

[@Fightyourego]

Lauren B exactly, she said if you live alone just cut it in half, obviously you can't. Just wanted to remind people who genuinely want to go live alone in china rent can be expensive.

[@Ucheerspace]

You can rent a single room if you want,much cheaper

[@yucao6742]

rent a single room

[@dragonspirit3307]

Shenzhen is so amazing and beautiful!

[@nopass6247]

It's a shame the apartment is so much, luckily mitigated by the fact you're sharing it. I'm surprised a couple of backpacker types aren't happy in a normal Chinese apartment that runs more like 1,500-2,000 RMB. I came in expecting to hear you guys were spending 5,000 a month each on food and shopping, so even with the expensive apartment, you get by better than I thought.

[@glu1324]

NO pass whatever it takes so she can comfortably live and work. What may be ok for you may not be satisfactory for her.

[@teknowdj7777]

There are NO appartments under 2000 in sz. even a 1 room walkup is 3000. Unless you live really far from CBD.

[@nopass6247]

Right - but my point is she's a self-proclaimed backpacker, so I'm surprised she felt the need for such an expensive apartment.

[@nopass6247]

Well Shenzhen is a big city with a lot of areas. If you're up in Bao'an or Longhua you can get an apartment for 1,400/month easily. Of course they also exist down south, the only real exception being Shekou. You can easily find an apartment for 2,000 with a living room and kitchen in Luohu or Futian districts.

[@Enyangrace]

It cost me at least 15000rmb($2200）per month to live In Guangzhou.and I find the flight tickets are so expensive in China.Myfriend bought the round-trip ticket from HK to LA just cost 2800rmb,But he bought the round-trip ticket from Guangzhou to Xuzhou which cost him more than 3000rmb.

[@tyronelowe7090]

Thanks for sharing your experiences. It's nice to see different places and cultures thru your eyes. We live in an amazing world and it's not easy to get to all those exciting places.

[@alopez15658al]

Dame!! I pay $1400 a month for rent in clearwater fl. Definitely can retire in china on Social security and live pretty good, in clearwater id have to pitch a tent somewhere lol..

[@Deborahtormenta]

Retire in Thailand or Vietnam. Way cheaper than China.

[@orlandojimmycepeda3201]

Pretty cool Poppy but I think you are spending way too much eating out :) I'm a Chef so I'm pretty good at food cost. Great Video as always!

[@henrywang2516]

I study in New Zealand,the cost of living in here is moreeee expensive than in China.

[@spectreXt]

The same water bottle from Link costs just 110 rupees here in Delhi which means less than 2 US dollars.

[@wojiaomark]

Great video. My wife and I were in China in January (Harbin, Beijing, Xi'an and Nanning and Qinzhou. One thing we were struck by is how expensive everything was since we visited back in 2003 and 2007. Malls were gorgeous but also pricy as you stated in you video. Keep up the great videos.

[@WheresPoppy]

Yeah malls are very expensive haha and I don't get how they stay in business to be honest. Everyone just shops on taoboa anyway

[@kenyup5424]

Mark Elenbaas I can't figure out what kind of mall did you visit,don't go to the mall which tourists guide brought you to,they must be freaky expensive,it might be 2 or 3 times expensive than normal,don't take group traveling,suggest you backpack traveling,if you want to buy cheaper Chinese good , I suggest you visit www.taobao.com & www.jd.com ,use Google translate to translate the goods you want into Chinese,then search it within those websites,you might get the cheap one

[@ozsharpener]

We went to Nanning from Sydney in 2016 and found everything had been expensive. We ended up buying nearly nothing before we came back to Australia. Online shopping is another story. Ebay Australia is very close to being a Taobao now as many Chinese suppliers are selling stuff over there. With sales Ebay collects taxes from those sellers for Australia government. So not much different to using Taobao.

[@xinglingyu7506]

I spend $1500/mon for everything in the US except for tuition...

[@kawaisit3086]

How do both of you make money?

[@glu1324]

Kawai Sit your watching her channel. She is ceo. She writes, films, edit and produces each episode that we enjoy free. KZbin pays her so click the like button

[@jialinchen1501]

but it doesnt have ads

[@stevenkay6625]

Less than 100k subscribers How do you make money with that?

[@santhunler]

About the Internet and the phone cost, I think you need a plan. The ChinaTelecom offers a plan named Fusion Package aka RongheTaocan(融合套餐) ¥239/mo Includes 200M Downstream/10M Upstream Fiber Broadband, Unlimited LTE Data in Guangdong Province，15GB LTE Data in mainland China(exclude HK，Macao，TW), 1500 Minutes calling, also an iTV provided, 3 sim cards.

[@thesincitymama]

NIk I was offered a much better telecom deal when I brought a Chinese friend along, to help me negotiate

[@santhunler]

Veronica Turtle Heart It’s smart to bring a Chinese friend with you. If you don’t need the fiber broadband, China Unicom offers some cheap deals, such as XiaoMi daily card, only 5 rmb/month, LTE data 0.8GB/day/1 rmb, calling in mainland China 1/minuet/0.1 rmb

[@qz9139]

Hello Poppy, People purchase merchandises on Taobao, its generally because they are cheap. Please, keep in mind, the quality is not always guaranteed comparable to the stuff that are sold in the mall, which high quality is guaranteed. Also, as you know, the tab water is not drinkable in china, but you could buy a cattle to boil the water and wait it to cool down. This is the general method that are used by many Chinese people for water. I will keep watching your videos and give my point of view along the way. Best regards, Johnny

[@williamwind2742]

hahaha "tree in Gondor"... nice reference. I'm moving to SZ next month from the cold north area of China,. Thanks for the information! I'm getting excited to move from a small tier 3 to a big tier 1 and experience a young vibrant city with a tropical climate. Also, Happy Chinese New Year :) 2021

[@xyazmayahare]

Wow! a kilo of cheese in Brazil is less than a dollar.

[@WheresPoppy]

I'm going to Brazil then haha