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Anyway, thanks for your responses everyone. Anyone have any other words of wisdom, tips, or general comments?
Cheap delivery, typically they’ll deliver if the cost is over 20rmb or something similar, you can get enough fried rice or noodles for 2 people. That’s about $3usd. But – you’ll get sick of fried rice and noodles, not to mention perhaps a little less healthy than would be ideal.
Other food, depends on what restaurants you have nearby, typically can get a normal Sichuan dish for about $4-6usd ea. from the ‘simpler’ restaurants, they’ll deliver it with white rice.
Damn, that’s a pretty good deal. I can see how I’d get sick of that if I ate it every day though. I’ll keep it in mind. What about the spicy stuff that Sichuan is known for? I love spicy foods.
Anyway, thanks for your responses everyone. Anyone have any other words of wisdom, tips, or general comments?
Learn Chinese as quickly as possible. If you already speak basic Chinese, improve it as quickly as possible. It will make a difference in every part of your life.
What about the spicy stuff that Sichuan is known for? I love spicy foods.
It’s spicy and available everywhere. Not sure what information you’re asking for. People tend to love the food here – it can be outstanding provided that you like spicy food and have a taste for adventurous food.
Hey again everyone.
Since I’ve never lived in a foreign country before, I would appreciate it if anyone here could give me some tips on what to do to prepare for it. I want to leave no things unconsidered. Is there anything you wish you did to prepare that you didn’t do?
I already have pen pals in the city, but don’t know any expats in the city who could tell me what it’s like from an American perspective, or to tell me what I should prepare for.
I’ve already got over $10,000 USD saved up, but I’ll be working remotely to replenish what I use up.
My penpal(s) say they will help me find a place to rent before I arrive. I should be arriving sometime in mid-late August.
Do I need health insurance in China? If so, how much does it typically cost? (I’m completely healthy)
Did your body have trouble adjusting to the new diet? If so, how did you get over that?
How do I avoid being taken advantage of/being ripped off? I can speak very basic Chinese already, but don’t know any 四川话.
Thanks in advance
My perspective:
Is there anything you wish you did to prepare that you didn’t do?
The less preparation the more fun. Don’t freak out so much about it – it’s really _not a big deal_… just it seems like a big deal before you move abroad for the first time. *relax* 😀 It’ll be easier than you think.
My penpal(s) say they will help me find a place to rent before I arrive. I should be arriving sometime in mid-late August.
Suggest doing some of your own research rather than trust some random internet ‘pen pal’. Including us fools on this forum – best thing to do is your own research, always, and don’t lock in upon arrival – let yourself switch’er up if you realize you got into a bad situation in a bad location or whatever. Better to get temporary housing and find something in person.
Do I need health insurance in China? If so, how much does it typically cost? (I’m completely healthy)
You don’t “need” it. Hospitals are cheap if you need anything.
Did your body have trouble adjusting to the new diet? If so, how did you get over that?
Most people poop more. Much more. And it’s more like pee.
How do I avoid being taken advantage of/being ripped off?
You don’t. You suck it up and accept getting charged more than other people sometimes, or you end up arguing and wasting time and often doing without what it is you wanted. The better your Chinese, the less you get ripped off, in general.
Awesome, thanks Rick. 5 star answers.
They aren’t so much penpals as they are my actual friends, since I’ve known them for years. But I see what you are saying, and I have been browsing websites looking at places, just to see the kind of stuff I can afford.
Now that I think about it, I guess I could use a good colonic cleansing anyway.
They aren’t so much penpals as they are my actual friends, since I’ve known them for years. But I see what you are saying, and I have been browsing websites looking at places, just to see the kind of stuff I can afford.
Find a place after you get here. If you’ll be in Chengdu for more than a few months, where you live will have a major impact on how much you enjoy Chengdu. If you have locals select an apartment for you, the chance of them signing you up for something you don’t want is pretty significant since Chinese people are foreigners often have vastly different ideas of how to live.
I know what Charlie will say 😀
HAKKA HOMES
Or talk to Federico and see if you can rent a room/bed/whatever at his place. Not sure which is cheaper…
ok, so where do I go when I first arrive then? A hotel or something?
I recommend Hakka Homes or one of the hostels in Chengdu like Mix or Holly’s Hostel.
I know what Charlie will say
HAKKA HOMES
lol nailed it, I didn’t even see this before I posted my response. What makes Hakka Homes unique is that you can get the experience of living in Chengdu without any of the hassle of finding an actual apartment in the city. It’s not a fancy place, but the location is good and they have wi-fi and are right next to a handful of places worth checking out like Hakka Bar, Living Room, Mix & Match, etc.
Thanks Charlie! But you forgot to mention that HakkaHomes rentals includes all utilities, bedding, kitchenware, and a bunch more on top of the ideal location to hit the ground running in Chengdu! Either way, Federico’s beds are nice too!
#hakkahomes #shamelesspromotion 😉
Sorry, I haven’t lurked in the Chengdu Living forum for awhile, are we hashtagging now?
are we hashtagging now?
No…
Hi there,
I guess you will sort yourself out after you get here. Don’t bother to find an apartment online, best to go check it out for yourself.the most expensive things here are fruit, electricity, and anything imported. As long as you stick with local produce and local simple stalls and restaurants (like the ones where workers and taxi drivers eat) you’ll be fine for costs of living. Limit the use of aircons.
bus and metro are good and cheap. Bicycles are cheap too, and a great way to get around.
You really don’t need to be fluent in Chinese to go local on food, or to prevent being ripped off. I lived in the middle East and I must say that China is a relief regarding that. I’ve not been ripped off in any major way here yet. Just beware of so-called ‘deals’, even the Chinese are complaining that a ‘deal’ often means you are paying or buying more than you ever planned to.
Have fun in Chengdu, you’ll be fine. You’ll have enough time to work on your job but it will just take some self-discipline to do so, I guess.
Have a nice trip!
Oh, just one more thing. Never travel anywhere without a proper basic medical insurance covering local treatments and repatriation if needed. If you have minor complaints, costs will be low compared to the states, but if you’re seriously hurt then things may run out of hand quickly. Also, many Chinese hospitals require cash payment up front if you’re not in possession of proper medical coverage, especially in the more serious cases. You think it may save you money not to insure yourself, but getting the shits is not the only risk you will run (here or at home, that’s the same).
Hey Kim, couple questions (or anyone else who can answer).
How much is health insurance in China?
How expensive is electricity compared to US? (ballpark). How many times more expensive? 1.5x? 2x? How much should I expect to pay per month on utilities in general along with the regular rental fee?
Utils varies depending on the months and how resilient you are. Summer for example, be careful with blasting big AC units all day, that can mow thru electricity SO fast — and in winter, the radiator heaters as well.. can end up with a ‘surprise’, 2000+rmb electricity bill for a month. If you’re aware of that problem though, I’d guess average electricity bills per month range from like $15-$30usd/month, water/gas negligable (few bucks more.)
You’ll also have to pay (likely) “wuguan fee”, basically grounds maintenance etc fee for the complex, which is dependent on the size/cost per sqm of the apartment and complex you’re in, maybe range about the same as electricity cost. Utils/wuguan really not so bad.Health insurance – well, to be honest, even though I had it provided by my company while in China, I never used it. The one time I wanted to use it – when I had a kidney stone – they said I could not use it for the ‘golden area’ or whatever of huaxi hospital as it only covered general admittance (where you are in a huge public shared area for your entire stay) and domestic medicines. In other words, useless, but the cost of medical care here is so cheap that typically, if you’re healthy, you wont need to use insurance either – I don’t know anyone personally who has.
Lucky are those who did not have to use a health insurance yet. But what will happen when you are run over by a bus, or happen to have any other serious health issue? I’ve been living abroad for about 20 years and more than five of my friends had to be shipped out of their country with acute and life-threathening conditions. It can happen. If it does happen, you want to be covered by a good insurance that takes care of repatriation and healthcare after your return, as well as of emergency health care or regular health care if available here. I have no idea about Chinese insurances but if they don’t cover that, it’s no good. Any proper travel insurance will cover basic emergency care.
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