on November 3 | in Global Information | by Maxxelli | with No Comments

Many expats in China will be quite familiar with the rental prices in the large cities of Shanghai, Beijing, or Shenzhen. However, concerning quality accommodation in Second-tier cities, and corresponding rental rates China expats often lack accessible information. Fortunately, this article will provide insight for those who want to know what your money can get you in second-tier China.

Apartment Rentals in Second-Tier China

First of all, for those who fear second tier cities equals second-rate housing, every city in this category provides high quality and luxury accommodations. Whether it is apartments one seeks, or more spacious residences like villas; finding the most suitable place for both short and long term stays will certainly be possible.

Rental Rates 

The table below gives information on accommodation prices in 12 second-tier cities. The table contains properties in different cities categorized as two bedroom apartments, three bedroom apartments, or four or more bedroom villas and townhouses. The rates mentioned are the lowest and highest levels of monthly rent one can expect to pay in these compounds. Finally, all names listed can be found under the property proposals tab of this website, where more details are provided, such as location and appearance of the property.

High standard two bedroom apartments can be found in most cities, starting around an average of 4000 RMB. The relatively lower demand in these cities ensures that this amount will give you a better accommodation compared to what this money would buy you in Shanghai.

Those wanting more space or rooms have the opportunity to select high-end residences, which are offered in practically every city. Town houses and villas represent the most luxurious options.

Average Rent in Second-Tier Cities

The information from the table can be put into the comparison graph above. For every city, the average housing price (in RMB) are given for apartments in the compounds mentioned. As three bedroom apartments are the most popular choice, the cities have been ranked by 3 bedroom apt. prices.

Besides these cities all being placed under the second tier banner, there are still several differences in size and prosperity between them; this is reflected in the rental prices. For example, a proper three bedroom apartment in central Chengdu is expected to be more expensive than one in the heart of Kunming.

Something to notice as well is that the villa rental rate is the lowest in Kunming, Changsha, and Harbin, where the three bed room rates are also the lowesst. For the other cities however, the prices of these accommodations can vary greatly; the city of Qingdao for example, has the highest priced villas while only ranking 7^th when looking at 3 bedroom apartments.

 

Other Costs and comparisons

The differences in rent are reflected in the 2016 China International City Index, where Chengdu ranks number one of the second tier cities in terms of development, while Kunming spots the 13^th place. This CICI is placed besides the rent ranking on the right-side table. Noticeable is that all cities that have an average of above 10000 RMB per month rent for 3 bedroom apartments are in the top 10 of the CICI ranking, which means there is a correlation between the development stage of these cities and the rent levels. Except for Qingdao and Xiamen, the cities with an average rent of below 10000 RMB are outside the CICI top 10. This rule is especially true for the cities of Kunming and Changsha, rent prices there hover around 4000 RMB per month and the cities are low on the CICI ranking as well.

The availability of good education is often an important factor when deciding on a place to live, which is why tuition fee levels have also been included in the ranking table. While most second tier cities do host international schools suited for expats, the costs of these can differ greatly. The top cities on the rent ranking also have high tuition level rankings, with the exceptions being Xiamen, Qingdao, and Changsha.

Detailed information about which schools are located in which city, their tuition fees and contact details can be found on our blog. The location of the aforementioned properties in relation to their nearest schools can also be found on the property proposals page.

Finally, information gathered in our Second Tier Insight on Utility Costs have been added to the table to create a more complete comparison of costs of life in these cities.

 

Serviced Apartments

Besides apartments and villas, those traveling and settling for business in China will often find themselves staying in hotels. While hotels offer a large variety of services, the lack of facilities like a kitchen or a living room might make long or frequent stays unpleasant. Therefore serviced apartments are a good and popular alternative.

These apartments combine a set of familiar hotel amenities, like room and laundry services, and combine them with a space more similar to an actual apartment. The table to the right offers examples of these in four cities, also showing the price per night.

The prices of these apartments are similar to those of regular hotel rooms. The trade-off is mostly between extra service and additional facilities. The similarities between the two are often enhanced through the fact that many large international hotel chains, such as Ascott, also provide serviced apartments next to their hotel services. More information on serviced apartments can be found under property proposals.

 

Hotel Rooms

If one does decide to book hotel rooms, all of the listed cities offer five star establishments. Staying in these establishments for prolonged periods of time is naturally less economical.

As mentioned before, international chains are numerous in almost every large city; brands like the Hyatt, Kempinski, and the Shangri-La can be found all across the country.

However, local establishments should not be ignored either. They can offer service at standards similar to their western counterparts.

Differences in room prices between cities are heavily influenced by the popularity of cities among tourists.

 

More information?

This article can help give insights on rental rates and cost of living in second-tier China. These parts of China certainly contain a large variety of places to stay, for those with large or smaller budgets.

More detailed information can be found on the property proposals page of this website. For more information feel free to contact us.

 

 

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