Living in China can be a positive life-changing experience for some, and a life-changing nightmare for others. Most will tell you that there isn’t an “in-between”. China is a country with a dynamic rhythm of life. It vibrates with opportunities, though the cultural differences can make living in China for foreigners extremely challenging.

Many expats think that the pros of living in China outweigh the cons. As an expat who has spent 12 years living in China, I’d strongly suggest to anybody who has the intention of staying in China even short term to consider whether moving to China is the right move for you.

Before you’ve made the costly mistake of boarding that long flight to China only to find out that moving abroad wasn’t what you expected, it’s better to think about your decision. Bring to the table both the positive and the negatives, and be brutally honest with yourself about what aspect of the culture are you OK and NOT OK with.

1. When Living In China You Don’t Need to Tip   

(In Fact, It’s Forbidden)

“Ti-Ping” might be a city in China, but “tipping” definitely isn’t among the local customs.  Americans especially can breathe a sigh of relief when going out to any eatery. 

Tips aren’t expected, and in many cases are frowned upon.  I have seen numerous instances of Chinese servers going out of their way to return tips offered to them.

2. Living In China Is Dynamic

Everything in China, especially in places like Beijing, runs at break-neck speed. It’s what I love about living in China. There are always people on the streets, restaurants don’t close until late at night, and everything is open on weekends.

Being a secular society with a large population, closing anything on a weekend in China would constitute a huge loss of business.  Weekends are days for outings and shopping for most people here.  Retail workers get their days off during the week.

I grew so accustomed to this.  Last time I went shopping back home, I was entirely confused to find that everything was closed on Sunday.

3. A Mecca for Technology

For those whose exposure to China is solely through Western media and film, it’s easy to fall into the misconception that China is composed entirely of scenic backwater villages filled with farmers and saintly Kung Fu masters.

My parents fell into this group.  When they first came to visit me in China they told me they didn’t bring many of their fancy clothes because they thought China was still a place where people go to work by bikes and rickshaws.  Instead, they were met with skyscrapers, metro lines, big and expensive cars, robot waiters, and people running around in suits with the latest smartphones.

It wasn’t always like this though. About five years ago the government started to place incentives on tech start-ups.  Cities like Beijing might have been behind the West a decade or so ago. Ever since the tech surge they’ve begun to look like something out of Blade Runner. 

4. Cashless Society

Cashless society is a direct result of the tech-boom in China.

At this point, just about everything can be paid for using a phone. Most of the time it’s as simple as scanning a QR code, after that it’s a question of typing in a passcode, scanning a fingerprint, or allowing a few seconds for facial recognition.  We’re usually shocked by all the lost time that comes with cash transactions when we go to western countries.

Though we know that the convenience we experience in China can’t be replicated by most other countries. Ironically, the thing that makes China an e-commerce powerhouse is Communism.

Since every bank in China is at least partly owned by the state. It is easier for China to consolidate its online infrastructure to accommodate e-commerce payments.

Whereas in the west, most banking institutions are private entities and do not have the same incentives to cooperate on a single online payment platform.

5. WeChat: The App of Life Convenience

Living in China is impossible without WeChat.

Most payments are made online, through WeChat.  Let me tell you something about the word “convenience”.  I thought I knew what it meant before I showed up in China, but WeChat redefines it.  Our daily life and work are navigated from a single app called WeChat. It’s so convenient that you can’t imagine living in China without using WeChat.

Unlike Facebook, it’s a closed circle app. This means you can only interact with people who really know you.

WeChat has its own cloud payment system that is attached to your bank card so you can withdraw and charge money into it anytime.

Through WeChat you can navigate all aspects of daily life, such as paying and getting paid, split bills with others, do utilities, mobile top-up, book train/plane tickets, get a taxi, order in food, book a hotel, get movie tickets, rent an apartment, etc.

Recently the payment function of the app was made available for tourists as well. Now visitors can link WeChat Pay to their credit cards, and use for payments when traveling in China.

  “Is It Safe?” You Might Ask . . .

While in the US you have so many banks and each of them functions independently, banks in China are all interconnected and under the central government rule. It’s not that there aren’t scammers in China, but this system of payment has proved very safe so far.

6. E-commerce Is Everywhere

WeChat is just the proverbial tip of the China e-commerce iceberg.  There are many other apps in China that make life more convenient.  These include:

Alipay: Like WeChat but they don’t charge you a commission when you want to withdraw money to your bank account.

Taobao: The largest online shopping platform, similar to Amazon, just light years ahead.

DiDi: China’s most famous app for taxis, it’s similar to Uber. You get to choose between a variety of cars available, spanning from carpool to luxury and all very decently priced.

Mobike: The concept of shared bikes is native to China. Just scan the code on a nearby bike and you don’t need to walk or drive to the closest grocery. They are available everywhere.

Eleme and Meituan: These are the two biggest food delivery companies. While they only delivered food in the past, now you can order fresh groceries, your favorite snacks from the supermarkets, and even medicine from the pharmacy.

7. Business Opportunities

The boom of technology has brought about many opportunities for entrepreneurs in China.

If you’ve learned some of the language, gained some insight into Chinese culture, and most importantly made some friendships with the locals, there are quite a few opportunities to consider for starting a business in China.  There are quite a few fields to explore if you are someone who wants to set up a small business in China without too big of an investment and too much risk.

Some of the niches that are experiencing growing demand right now and suitable for foreigners include: Education (English teaching for kids/adults, Business English Training), Creative Industries (particularly design), Trade Agencies, etc.

8. Living in China Is a Foodie’s Paradise

Nothing epitomizes Chinese culture quite like it’s food.

When living in China, eating seems to be constantly on everyone’s mind.  Every day like clockwork the country all but shuts down during breakfast, lunch, and dinner.  Is it any wonder though when there is such a variety to choose from?  There are EIGHT distinct cuisines across China and each region has its own special dishes that it prides itself on.

Living in China made me realize how bland and boring the cuisine of my home country was. Some of the oldest unbroken cooking traditions of the world can be found here and most dishes are worth trying at least once. Chinese food culture is a special topic.

Read my post on Chinese Breakfast Foods for People Who Love Variety to learn more about Chinese food.

One of our favorite things to do with our expat friends is going out for hot pot; in fact, we have a WeChat group dedicated to it.

9. Travel Opportunities 

Most people think of the major cities like Shanghai or Beijing when they think of China. These cities certainly get more exposure on the news, but they’re not unlike any other major cities you might come across in other countries.

If you really want the “China Experience” though, it’s best to strike out into the rest of the country and visit some of the other provinces off the beaten track.  Each is packed with unique cultural experiences and places to visit.

During my first year of living in China as a student,  I used the winter vacation to go backpacking around China. I visited 10 places in 45 days and it was the most amazing experience I’ve had in my life. I was never the same person after that.

That was 12 years ago and it may have been cheaper then, but if you avoid the major places it’s still not very expensive to see some amazing sights.

10. Living in China is Safe

China is a relatively safe place.  I spent part of my backpacking trip alone and I felt safe the whole time, no matter where I was. Even in Beijing, it is completely safe for a girl alone at night to go out and walk on the streets.

It helps that Beijing, being the dynamic city it is has people out at almost all hours. Even past midnight, you can still find people queuing up to get a table at their favorite restaurants.

11. Living in China as a Foreigner: There’s an Upside 

Being the “other” in any given society can be an unpleasant experience, and living in China as a foreigner at times is no exception.  After 12 years in the country, I can vouch for the fact that being a foreigner in China does come with some package benefits though.

There are special terms for foreigners in Chinese, the most prevalent of which is “Laowai” which means “The Old Foreigner”.  It’s not well received among expats in China, though I suppose it is better than “Yang Guizi” which means “Devil from Across the Sea”.

While some of the locals consider us naïve and try to take advantage of or scam us, there is an attitude among most Chinese to help and be nice to foreigners.

During my backpacking trip across China, my friend and I, then tired of Chinese food and wanting a change, tried looking for an Italian restaurant recommended in the “The Lonely Planet” guidebook. When we couldn’t find it we went to the police station to ask for directions.  They didn’t know where it was either and thought the restaurant might have closed.  What happened next completely surprised us.  He took us to another very good Italian restaurant… in his squad car.  Talk about serve and protect!

On another occasion, during the same trip my friend and I became separated while climbing down from a mountain. Again I turned to the local police for assistance.   Not only did they help me find her, but they invited us for coffee and tea in the police station afterwards.  While chatting with us they commented that China is quite safe and they didn’t have much work to do.

As if to prove a point, the next evening they invited us to join them and their colleagues at KTV.  It’s not everywhere you can get lost and wind up partying with the police.

The Cons of Living in China as a Foreigner

For all the positives listed above, you’d be forgiven to think that there’s nothing to complain about.  Rest assured that should you come here, you’ll find plenty to whine about.  Complaining is a favorite past-time for any member of our species. China is no exception when it comes to finding things to kvetch about.  So here are some downsides to take into consideration before deciding if you want to come to China.

1. Only Change is Constant

My husband and I went on a business trip for a week once.  When we got back to Beijing all our favorite back-alley haunts had been closed down. Every Hutong (that’s an alleyway) restaurant and bar had been ordered to close. Not only were our dining out options halved, but our local bar changed ownership (for the better in this case), and construction had begun on a new metro station near our house.

China is in a constant state of flux.

If you come from anywhere but a major international city, you’re liable to be taken aback by it.  Those from smaller areas may be accustomed to a certain consistency of life.  The town doesn’t change much over the course of decades, and people generally stay in the same positions until retirement.

Not so in China. 

With over a billion people, most of whom live within only a scant one-third of the country’s area, every resource has become a commodity.  Jobs, living situations, business locations, and product availability can all change at a moment’s notice.  We once got a call from our landlord telling us that he was selling the apartment we were renting. We only had about a few weeks to find a new place to live.   It’s unfair but it often happens here.

One thing I’ve learned while living in China as an expat is to become more flexible and be more open to change.

The constant challenges that come with living in China have made me better prepared for the future.  I’ve come to realize that the things I often take for granted are not as permanent as I originally thought.

2. You Need to Learn Some Chinese

If you want to feel like you know what’s going on and you are actually living your life here, you’d better try to learn some Chinese. It will make your life significantly easier.

We all know Chinese is not the easiest language on Earth. Every syllable has four possible tones, which means that one word can be pronounced in four different ways and have at least four different meanings. This has been the hardest part of learning Chinese.

Even though I’ve been here for ages, I still feel like I haven’t quite mastered the tones yet.

3. The Rising Costs of Living in China

I’ve mentioned that the cost of living in China is relatively low.  The only thing that has gotten expensive over the years, in fact, doubled since I first came here, is the cost of the rent.  If you live in one of the big cities, you are going to pay lot in rent.

If you are not among the lucky ones who got their rent covered by an employer and you end up in one of the bigger cities you might want to consider renting a bit further out.

The good thing about big cities, especially Beijing, is that the metro system has broad coverage. No matter where you live you’ll be able to get to where you’re going in about 45 minutes. This is often just as much if not less time as driving considering all the traffic jams.

4. No Lamp Beside This Golden Door 

China Is Not an Immigration Country

Many people that move abroad may decide to naturalize in their host country.  Well, you can put those hopes and dreams aside if you come to China.

I have been living in China for 12 years and I am still on a work visa. Green cards exist but even if you satisfy all the conditions, there is no guarantee that you will get one.  There is hope for a green card, but these are generally given out to people that are outstanding in their field.

The last rumor I heard of one being given out was to James Watson. You know, half of the legendary scientific team famous for positing the double-helix model of DNA.

China recently changed their Visa system.

It’s now based on a score that you get after assessing your skills and qualifications. They now group foreigners into A, B, and C categories. A being the Nobel Prize Winners and C for foreigners without a University degree. This means that most of us fall into the B category.

This makes it relatively easy to get a visa as long as you can overcome the struggle with the paperwork. The application process is done online.  But when you go to submit the papers you realize that robots have checked your applications.  For any errors, you’ll need to go back and forth until your application is accepted.

5. Internet Censorship

Internet Censorship is a real issue if you spend a lot of time on Social Media and you live in China.

Google, Facebook, Youtube, Instagram, Pinterest, and many other sites are inaccessible in China without a VPN.  Not any VPN will do however, you get what you pay for.  Free VPNs don’t work long.  We’ve been using Astrill all these years. At the time of writing a yearly subscription to Astrill costs us $120.

It should also be noted that VPN services often falter while government meetings are being held.

Censorship policy carries over to posting as well.

Anything that reflects poorly on China, the Party, or any other Chinese leader be they current or historical, is grounds for censorship.  As an example, we used to follow a very funny WeChat account.  In one of their posts they talked about Chinese guys’ hairstyles and jokingly used a photo of one of the previous Chinese presidents.

Sadly that was the end of their business, and they were just starting to boom with close to a million reads.

Even in WeChat groups we aren’t allowed to talk about sensitive political issues, social issues, or spread any kind of gossip. Doing so puts admin of the group at risk for being held responsible and they might even go to jail.

6. No Sense of Personal Space

The everyday dynamic in big cities in China can be a little overwhelming and cause anxiety for many people. Especially during rush hours. There are constant traffic jams, noise, and crowds of people.

When you are in a public space or on mass transit, there is usually no sense of personal space. As foreigners, we often feel our private space is invaded. But then you’ve got to remind yourself that this is a country with a population of 1.4 billion people.  There isn’t always enough space and resources to be equally shared with everyone.

7. Needling Questions and Brutal Honesty

“You’ve gotten fat!” is a declaration capable of ruining friendships.

Which is great, because it’s just one of the many uncouth comments you can expect from the locals when engaged in off-hand conversations.

Others include “What’s your relationship status?” and “How much do you make?”.  to them it’s a way to express concern. It’s a way to show that they care about you.  For us, it’s conversation territory best left untrod if you want to maintain good terms with one another.

Go figure!

8. Fair-Weather Friendships

Making friends with the locals, and more importantly, maintaining those friendships can be a difficult chore in China. While we meet a lot of people here and do business with them, that relationship is over the moment business dies down.  It doesn’t matter how close you were during that time.

Related Reads:

Cultural Differences Between China and The West Explained Through Comics

10 Types of People Unique to Modern Chinese Culture

The Role of Women in China: Past & Present

After that stage, we only maintain a “WeChat” relationship. We see each other’s posts and click like, but it’s just a WeChat friendship, nothing more than that.  Despite attempts, there really is no rekindling that friendship once it has fizzled out.

9. The Concept of “Gua Hao”: Hurry Up and Wait

My biggest nightmare in China is when I have to go to the hospital and to the bank. It is because there will always be hundreds of people in front of me and I have to wait for ages.

The worst is when you go to the hospital. You have to get there at 6 a.m. in order to get a number for the more experienced doctors. If you arrive late you will be at the mercy of chance, and you’ll still need to wait.

10. Like a Fish out of Air

Most people might have put this first, but it’s such a well-known issue that I saved it for last.  Pollution in China is a major issue. On heavily polluted days in winter we have to wear masks. The situation is a little better in the big cities, especially in Beijing.

Since Beijing is the center of government, they do their best to keep the air relatively “OK”, especially during international political meetings. Then they close all the factories near Beijing and the surrounding provinces so they can guard themselves against negative attention from western media.

I seem to recall sometime around 2017, an English reporter arrived to do a story on one of the party meetings. Seeing the closed factories in China he commented that he was not very positive about the growth of the Chinese economy.  Little did he know that they purposefully closed the factories so that reporters wouldn’t be able to take pictures of the normal pollution.

China can be an amazing place to experience. 

Like anywhere else though, there are things to love and things that might just rub you the wrong way in all the wrong places.  Hopefully, this article has helped to level some of your expectations before you decide whether or not to visit this magnificent country.

Read Next:

9 Things I Wish I Knew Before Moving To China

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