Rick,

The salary compared to the outside world in China is lower, but compared the cost of living here it can be very high. I would say a 'normal' wage would be about 5,000RMB month, though lower and higher salaries are available of course. When I first came here I was on 3000/month, but I managed to save 1000 of that even though I bought a lot of items, including a computer, DVD player lots of clothes and ate out in restaurants nearly every night.

Compared to the US, for example though, you won't save that much of course. Here I save about US$500 a month, and I am on a much better salary. Of course, I still have my girlfriend who is at uni, so I have paid her fees there, bought an electric bike (pretty neat people by the way!), several mobile phones, digital camera, much beer and all the rest. Plus I still eat out most nights!

People come here mostly to experience China. Perhaps if you want to save big money Korea is better, don't know, never been there, but you can certainly live well here on a 'normal' salary.

> hi there, tough situation. Your principles are admirable.
> I'm saving roughly 1,500 US dollars a month in Korea. Is there enough
> pay in China to set some money aside for emergency-situations like
> this one? Your post is bad news for those planning to teach in China.
> Scary....low salaries. Mainly for repatriation after completition of
> work./ Sorry, no better answer, try contacting local papers. Works in
> korea.

> Rick