Hello everyone,

Currently I work as a lecturer in a university in London. After tax + national insurance + rent + bills, I have a monthly disposable income of around £ 1,800.

Because I want to reunite with my wife, I want to relocate to Shanghai. So I am currently holding a job offer from a local university:

- 20,000 rmb per month, before tax

- 2 months of paid holiday

- Medical insurance

- One round trip airfare per year.

- Some contribution towards relocation expenses.

My questions are:

1. Is 20,000 rmb per month (before tax) a decent salary to live in Shanghai? My wife already works there and her salary is quite good, and we own a flat in Shanghai.

2. Financially speaking, how would you compare the London's salary to the Shanghai's one? Where do you think I would be better off?

Any input would be very much appreciated. Many thanks

Not gonna be much difference, you'll be making near enough the same wage give or take a few quid.

Everyone will have different views but I save MUCH more money at the end of each month here than I did in London. Sure some things are expensive but you can also live very cheaply and the trick is to mix it up and balance it well. Certainly rent is cheaper here. For about 700 pounds I have a 3 bedroom apartment in the centre of the city, and of course, rent is the biggest single expense for everyone. My ayi (housekeeper) cooks and dinner costs me around 2-3 pounds each time. So sure, last night I ate at an expensive place on the Bund for around 56 pounds, but tonight dinner is costing me 2 pounds, so that's an average of 29 pounds just in these two nights.

It would help if you could get part of the 20,000 RMB as a living allowance as this is not taxable for foreign citizens in China and is therefore going to increase your disposable income. This can include rental, meals and transport, but cannot include medical insurance which is taxable.

I'm from Cambridge which is cheaper than London but still at the higher end of UK prices. I also save money far easier than I ever could in the UK. Shanghai can be pricey but, assuming you are not eating at expensive restaurants and out on the lash every night, averaged over a whole month it's still much cheaper for me.

jzzzzzzz wrote:I'm from Cambridge

Have you ever been to the Chinese restaurant on Regent Street?

Thanks for your valuable suggestions. In the past month it's been winter-like weather here. I might just be moving to SH.

As you already own a place your disposable income will be more than enough to live on ( what about the mortgage?) A major difference is that in Shanghai you you'll catch a taxi without thinking about it as it's damn cheap compared to London. What you should be asking yourself is if you'll miss the blues skies, large parks, drinks on South Bank and local pubs etc.

And surely your wife is a good source of information?

Endyjai,

Thanks for your reply.

Yes, obviously my wife is a good source of information. I just wanted to have a second opinion by someone who experienced a similar situation.

Thankfully, we have no mortgage to pay!

I know that I will miss London, which is one of my fav. cities. But if I moved from Rome (my hometown) to London, then I think I can move from London to Shanghai too

Make sure you have a good medical insurance. I am shocked to see how many people come here with no or unsufficient health insurance.