Thanks for the costs breakdown, I found it interesting. I'm in software, and in the North; there are definite similarities and differences. For those reading

Thanks for the costs breakdown, I found it interesting. I'm in software, and in the North; there are definite similarities and differences. For those reading this that are interested in software costs, here's a similar breakdown: A Senior Developer (Java, C# being predominant technologies), with around 7-10 years' experience, or similar QA, good English language, makes around USD 25,000 per year. The market gets very thin at 10+ years, especially for English speakers in management, and ceilings at around USD 45,000 per year unless the person has had international placements. [At more junior levels, income is less, with starting salaries at around USD 6 - 8k per year.] For those reading, this is gross salary (individual income tax at 15-30% for these salaries), but the company contributes around 40% in addition to this gross salary as social security benefit. For a bigger city like Shanghai, add 30-40% to the above. A software worker probably won't live in a dormitory. They'll have an apartment and mortgage, often close to their office complex (software parks are constructed as mixed commercial-residential developments over 20-30 square kilometers, with residential areas on the peripheral and offices / shopping mall in the center). I'm surprised your rent is so low. Modern, international grade office buildings go for around USD 150 per square meter per year (or, around 2.5 Yuan per day). Bigger cities are a little more. On the outside of Shanghai it is around 3 Yuan per day for an office in a technology park in the outskirts of the city. Local software parks also do food, but prices are more like $2.5 (15 Yuan) for a meal.