Things to Consider Before Moving to China

As a country with 5000 years of history, a thriving economy and a promising future, China is a country many people have been considering moving to. Actually, there are already many expats living and working in China these days. Are you interesting in moving to China? Before you make the decision of moving to China, there are a number of things you should consider.

Language

First, you should realize that most people in China speak Mandarin (or Putonghua) and English is not a popular language there. Therefore, if you don’t understand the local language, you might have trouble living in China, especially in cities that are not among the top ones such as Beijing and Shanghai, where you can have a better chance finding people speak good English. If you don't speak good Mandarin, you might be able to get help from some translator apps to help you communicate in China. 

Cost of Living

You should also consider the cost of living in China. You might have heard that China is a country where the cost of living is quite low. However, things have changed in the recent years, especially in big cities. If you are planning to live in metropolitan area in Beijing or Shanghai, the rent could be quite high. Therefore, before moving to China, you need to learn the cost of living in the cities that you want to move to and make sure it's within your budget.

Job Opportunities

Another thing to consider is the job opportunities. As an expat, you might not find it quite easy to find a job and complete with local people (who speak fluent Chinese) for jobs. Also, you will need to get a working visa before you can work in China legally. You can consult legal experts or online resources to learn how to get a working visa for China.

Health

Health care is another thing you should think about. While the cost of seeing a doctor is not very expensive in China, the conditions of many hospitals are still not as good as the ones in the U.S. or U.K., and the private hospitals charge a much higher fee. Also, you want to check whether your health insurance will work in China. You can also shop for good international health insurance programs that will cover your health care expenses in foreign countries such as China.

Internet

Finally, if you use the Internet a lot, you have to realize that many popular website are blocked in China. Therefore, you won’t be able to use Twitter, Facebook, Gmail or watch YouTube without using a web proxy or a good VPN service that work well in China. Therefore, you might want to sign up for a VPN account before moving to China (check out this site for recommendations for China VPN. for learn for VPN推荐 in Chinese to find a couple of good VPNs for China.

Conclusion

To sum up, China is a beautify and exciting country to live and work. Therefore, many people have been thinking about moving to China. However, you should take into consideration many things before making the decision of moving to China. Hope you will have a nice experience in China!