17,000 Yuan a month

Hi Pcantonio, you should be able to live comfortably on that salary, also depends what area you will look for apartment, but 11000 should cover you just about anywhere in comfort. I found near Tsinghua University, hard to find a decent looking apartment for 5-6K rmb, i had to bump up a notch to find what i wanted. Not many Chinese will rent for more than 5-6K, so the higher ones stay available longer. I went through an agent, since direct landlord is not so easy. Agent expect 90% of 1 months fee, and even refused to give the landlord contact info if i want to renew next year directly. So if i stay another year, i have to pay the ~1 month fee again. I spoke to 3 agencies (all 5iji related), they all changed what they promised multiple times, they just want you to sign the contract. I have no friends here, and the company didn't offer placement help. Certainly you should ask questions about your medical coverage, do the doctors speak English, is it a expat type coverage (typical Chinese med plan doesn't cover much). Take the job if it helps your longer term career path, and you'd like some adventure here in China. So far i find Shanghai much easier to get around than Beijing, Beijing is very spread out, so you will be looking for apartment probably near to where you work to reduce daily work transit time. I also recommend you have someone who speak and negotiates in english/chinese with you when get apartment. In Shanghai, the landlord is required to physically show their ID card and their property deed, and you will get a copy. Here the agency only gave a copy, if it was a small less known agency, i wouldn't have signed, as you can be found in an apartment that isn't really rented, since copies can easily not be real. Scams are unlikely, but you should be careful. Any others have something to say on this, maybe i am just too careful. In Shanghai, my 3 landlords, let me move in 1-2 weeks early, and also stay extra days while i move out, for free. In Beijing, they ar every strict, 1 day move in extra, 0 days move extra. In general people in north China seem harder and less polite than in south, i have heard this from many chinese friends and other expats. Beijing has less english that Shanghai. My chinese friend said: "Beijing is like a dusty man, Shanghai is like a beautiful women". Hehe. Welcome to Beijing
PS: Most Chinese people are extremely friendly, kind, funny, and polite, you will make good friends here also