外派网：月薪￥5000RMB在中国相当于美国$2500的生活水平？

其实这里的外派expat, 主要是自己外派，就是国外打工。一般生活，月薪￥5000RMB在中国相当于美国$2500的生活水平。大都市奢侈生活的费用与欧美相当。下表显示，2011-12年度，财务总监（￥1.5米），市场总监（￥2米），国际法（￥1.3米）的收入最高。

http://www.expatarrivals.com/china/salaries-for-expats-in-china

►The cost of living in China is reasonable.

Even though your expat salary in China might be much lower than you are used to (sometimes a quarter or even a fifth of what you earned back home), the cost of living in China is much lower than in most western countries. Meaning that although you might not save vast amounts of money at the end of every month, you should be able to get by comfortably on what would ordinarily be considered a 'pittance' by your home country's standards. As an illustration of this point, consider that – in terms of spending power – a salary of RMB 5,000 per month (approx. USD 800) is said to allow for the same kind of lifestyle that a salary of USD 2,500 per month could provide within the United States. Do keep in mind, though, that the cost of a lavish lifestyle in one of China's big cities will rival that of most European capitals.

The following table shows typical expat salaries in China, for a variety of jobs and roles. Note that these figures are based on employment statistics from major Chinese cities – if you work in a more rural area, you should expect to earn less than what is quoted below.

Table of Expat Salaries in China (2011 to 2012)

Industry	Job/Position/Years Experience	Annual Salary (USD)	Annual Salary (RMB)
Accounting/Finance	Chief Financial Officer / 15+ Years	240K	1.5M
Accounting/Finance	Finance or Accounting Manager / 8+ Years	48K	300K
Accounting/Finance	Financial Analyst / 7+ Years	55K	350K
Advertising/Communciations	Media Director / 10+ Years	110K	700K
Advertising/Communciations	Account Manager / 3+ Years	32K	200K
Advertising/Communciations	English Copywriter / 4+ Years	44K	280K
Banking/Financial Services	Top-Level Positions / 10+ Years	190K+	1.2M+
Banking/Financial Services	Mid-Level and Junior Positions / 3+ Years	48 to 110K	300 to 700K
Education	ESL Teacher / 0 Years	7K	44K
Education	ESL Teacher / 3+ Years	8K	50K
Human Resources	Manager / 6+ Years	80K	500K
IT/Telecommunications	Project Manager / 8+ Years	80 to 140K	500 to 900K
IT/Telecommunications	Developer / 7+ Years	95K	600K
Legal	International Law Firm / 6+ Years PQE	205K	1.3M
Legal	In-House Corporate Lawyer / 6+ Years	95K	600K
Property/Construction	Architect / 5+ Years	80K	500K
Property/Construction	Project Manager / 8+ Years	110K	700K
Property/Construction	Engineer / 5+ Years	22K	140K
Sales/Marketing	Managing Director / 20+ Years	315K+	2M+
Sales/Marketing	Mid-Level Manager / 7+ Years	48 to 110K	300 to 700K
Sales/Marketing	Front Office Manager / 5+ Years	36K	230K

*Note further that these are aggregated amounts of an average expat salary in the private sector in China: if you work for a small firm or company, expect to earn a little less; if you work for a large firm or company (or better yet, a foreign company), expect to earn a little more. The amounts quoted also assume a fair amount of relevant work experience – as a foreign worker in China, a minimum of 8 years is preferred.

Saving potential for expats in China

For many expats, the question of whether or not to emigrate to China will depend on their saving potential – i.e. how much money they can 'bank' at the end of every month, after paying tax and covering accommodation and living expenses.

For highly qualified and skilled expats, this is not so much of a concern, with about 25 percent of expats in China earning in the region of USD 200K a year. For those seeking mid-level employment in China, however, the following factors should be taken into consideration:

• Although China's cost of living is famously low – with youthful ESL teachers known to live on about RMB 3,500 (USD 500) per month – your expat salary package remains very important. Try to negotiate the best possible deal for yourself, as often the 'perks' of your contract will decide whether a move to China is financially viable for you or not.

• Although many Chinese employers won't provide an accommodation stipend, some will. You're doing well if they offer you something in the region of RMB 9,000 (USD 1,500) per month.

• Health insurance for foreign workers in China is quite expensive, and if this is provided in your salary package, it will save you at least RMB 1,300 (USD 200) per month.

• The issue of whether or not the company will provide for education expenses is often the 'deal-breaker' for expat families planning a move to China. The price of good-quality international education is astronomical – as much as RMB 1.2M (USD 200K) per year in the most extreme cases.

• Bear in mind, too, that most expats will be taxed around 20% of their monthly salary in China, but that this can rise to 40% for high earners.

• Note that as a foreign worker in China, you will be expected to work very hard for your money, and that the intensity of the Chinese workplace can be a bit overwhelming for some expats.

• Remember that although working in China might not be as financially rewarding as working in other expat destinations, such as the Middle East or Russia, there are some wonderful cultural benefits to such an adventure. China is at the forefront of global economic development, and there are many exciting things happening within the country to attract ambitious professionals. Also, the opportunity to learn a bit of Mandarin is widely reported by expats to be one of the most valuable aspects of working in China.