Maintenance fees
Maintenance fees allow for security at the gates, pathways swept, hallways cleaned and overall upkeep of the complex. This cost will vary dependent on the services offered by the complex, and it’s size. We forecast a half year’s cost of 2,000RMB per apartment.
Rent
Rent varies significantly from city to city, from living in the outskirts of Xiamen in a two-bedroom apartment for 1,600RMB a month, to having to spend 5,000RMB in Shanghai for a shoebox. It’s very important to know how much the area you’ll be living in costs, and we recommend getting a few quotes prior to signing any contracts with your school. This is especially important as rent is paid at the start of every three months, meaning that your shoebox in Shanghai could cost you 15,000RMB before you move in.
Agency Fees
Agencies help you search for your ideal apartment and by providing you with properties on the market, and showing you the ones you are most interested in. When you’ve found your ideal property, they will help you sign the contracts (most likely in Chinese) and may possibly be the arbitrator between yourself and the landlord. Agency fees are usually half a month’s rent that will need to be paid as a one-off upfront cost.
Deposit
The deposit is a guarantee that you’ll keep the property in working order for the next tenant. This cost mostly does not vary, and one month’s rent is required to be paid before moving in. This will be returned upon a successful departure of the property.
Bills
Comparable to the western world, bills in China are very cheap. Expect to pay around 150RMB a month as an aggregate for water, gas and electricity if you’re living on your own, and around 100RMB if you’re sharing with a few other people.
