New to Suzhou..can I survive

Hello All...
First post on here.
I am currently living and working in Switzerland as a music teacher and I have been offered a job in Suzhou with the following package. I start August 1st...scary!!! All prices are in RMB
I was wondering will it be enough to live comfortably and enjoy travelling through China on holidays, rent a one possibly two bed apartment but eat local food etc. I would love to have internet and I enjoy going to the the gym so membership to a gym would be great too. I am a single male with now wife or kids. Thanks for your help.

Annual gross salary is 288448 per year,
Domestic bills allowance is 36000 per year including 10000 relocation allowance,
Airfare allowance is up to 12420,
Housing allowance is 66000
Shipping allowance is up to 12420,
Health insurance covered by school.
All prices are in RMB

I am looking forward to the challenge as I am very comfortable where I am working but I love to shake things up a bit :) Very excited about the future and meeting some interesting people.

yes you can definitely survive with that salary.

foreign teachers' monthly salaries after taxes range from 5000~2000RMB usually.

you can rent a 2 bedroom apartment for 2400~4000RMB depending on the community.

It's enough to live comfortably and enjoy travelling through China on holidays, rent a one possibly two bed apartment and eat local food etc

Pretty good,especially with no family ..yes you will enjoy your time here with your salary , so good luck..

Thanks so much. I am very thankful to be given this job. I know it will be a very different challenge and new area from where I am at but soooooooooooo excited. thanks for the advice

Monsieur, c'est pas "survivre"; c'est "savourer":D
What makes u scary?
Yes, some Chinese may eat strange things, but definitely not ppl~~
et shhhshhh...dont show ur salary...kidnapping!!!haha
just keep the excitement...ppl r just ppl everywhere, if u treat them nicely, they treat u back

Oh, Yes
You will be quiet Happy, There will be many Girls chasing you all over China, There cost are much less then your salary. You should be able to live life to its fullest and save a bundle. Just remember when renting an appartment, You can always get the price down, There are many homes for rent now and many news being built everyday. So if they ask 6k per month, then you can get it for 5k or even lower, Never except the frist price in china.

take care

even with a price tag???
n girls all over china chasing u???china must be really small in ur eyes...or should i say...some Americans r lack of geo knowledge anyway?

akintraveler wrote:

Oh, Yes
You will be quiet Happy, There will be many Girls chasing you all over China, There cost are much less then your salary. You should be able to live life to its fullest and save a bundle. Just remember when renting an appartment, You can always get the price down, There are many homes for rent now and many news being built everyday. So if they ask 6k per month, then you can get it for 5k or even lower, Never except the frist price in china.

take care

With ur Housing allowance 66000 u can have a nice apartment in Landmark skylight/Four seaons park/orchard manors in SIP, suzhou.With monthly rental 5,000 Rmb.
I do think u can survive, dont worry.MOst chinese r nice.
totally agree with Sharma .if u treat them nicely, they treat u back.