Shanghai Economics 101

One of the subtleties I appreciate most about the Chinese businesses is their thirst for giving round or exact change. If something costs 11 kuai or 26 kuai, they are looking for the extra one to make life (and dispensing change) easier for the both of us and are disappointed if you can’t produce it. And on that note – Before moving to China, I heard about how cheap everything is here.

And, well, it’s mostly true. Living in Shanghai can be cheap. Living in Shanghai like a westerner is expensive. And there are a few items that “fall in the middle” (cost what they would back home). For example, four of Yan’s Dumplings (delicious and there is a method to eating them) cost around fifty cents while a Clif Bar is $2. Furthermore,

$4.19 Grande Frappucino (Starbucks)

$3.38 Awful Pizza

$0.47 Dumplings (Awesome)

$9.47 Pizza Hut (personal pizza)

$6.77 American Breakfast (eggs, bacon, toast, hash)

$16.24 Entrance to Shanghai Aquarium

$0.88 Orange Juice - One liter

$0.20 Bottled water - 12 oz.

$0.54 Rice, Potatoes, Some sort of beef from corner vendor

$447 60 hours of Chinese classes (beginner)

$0.54 Breakfast Pastry

$1.35 Noodles and Beef

$1,110 Base monthly salary, English teacher

$0.41 Public Transit, short trip

$0.68 Public Transit, longer trip

$2.71 2-mile cab ride

$13.53 Rip-off watch from street vendor

$10.83 Entrance into Ming Xiao Ling (in Nanjing)

$1.62 Kung Pao Chicken

$8.50 Ten pack of Quaker Breakfast Bars

$3.52 10 eggs (western supermarket)

$11.91 Sliced Bacon (western supermarket)

$5.14 Bag of Tortilla Chips (western supermarket)