Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RMB70-120 in swankier places. If the price is strangely cheap you can be sure the alcohol
is fake and that you'll wake up with a shocking hangover on the following day.
If your company is following the law, they should be deducting approximately 10 percent
of your salary each month for social insurance. In 2012 this was capped at salaries of
RMB12,600.
Medical expenses can really add up, and if your company is not covering you for inter-
national health insurance then you could be forking out a fortune if you have a serious med-
ical incident. To avoid a potentially catastrophic medical bill, take out international medical
insurance. Rates for individuals start at around US$40 per month and move up to more than
US$300 per month for comprehensive coverage for a family of four. If your company in-
cludes medical in your package, that's potentially more than RMB2,100 that you will save
each month, plus the deductible.
This can be another budget breaker. Western schools are around RMB180,000 per year per
child, and preschools are around RMB65,000 (for a half day) per year, give or take a few
thousand. If your company doesn't cover your child's education fees in China, this may
be the deal breaker. Chinese education is significantly cheaper, but you'll need to consider
carefully whether or not this will suit what you want for your child's future.
HELP WITH YOUR UTILITIES
Paying utilities is easy, once you figure out how to do it. With the diversification of
Beijing's property market, there seem to be ever more methods by which to pay for
your bills. In almost all cases they are prepaid, not billed after use. This system works
by placing meters in your home, which need to be charged. They show how many
units of electricity, hot water, or gas you have left.
There are two main methods for charging them: a rechargeable smart card (IC),
which you add money to and then insert into the meter to recharge it; or a code num-
ber, which allows you to directly recharge your meter by making a payment via an
