Not aboard, but abroad - two of us split an apartment for $600 in a decent location in Beijing (near Beijing's central business district and a 10-min walk from

Not aboard, but abroad - two of us split an apartment for $600 in a decent location in Beijing (near Beijing's central business district and a 10-min walk from a subway station). I think $300 / month is probably affordable for most techies who can telecommute (or for techies obsessed with saving money). I've also got 2 friends who split a 2-bedroom here that they rent for $500 / month. And you can get much cheaper if you're willing to live further on the outskirts of town (having grown up in rural America, I actually find the outskirts very peaceful and pleasant compared to the crowdedness of downtown, but I run a physical store here, so the commute would be painful). Plus, tasty and cheap noodles everywhere!