US Media: A 36-Year-Old American Moves to Shenzhen: Renting for $1,000 a Month, Supporting a Family for Just $100
Bradley Clay, 36, has lived in multiple U.S. states throughout his life. In 2016, at the age of 27, he moved alone to Shenzhen to work as an English teacher, marking a turning point in his life. Today, he lives in Shenzhen with his wife—born in Tahiti, with Chinese parents—and their two children, calling this lifestyle "my American Dream."
In terms of living costs, the family of four spends remarkably little each month: a three-bedroom apartment rents for about $1,000, internet costs $29, electricity is roughly $100, and monthly grocery expenses amount to only $100. Dining out rarely exceeds $10 per meal, and health insurance costs around $90. Overall, their monthly expenses are just one-fourth of what they were when he lived alone in the United States.
Regarding income, he once earned approximately $4,000 per month, and after transitioning into a marketing manager role, his salary dropped to about $3,500 monthly, plus an additional $1,200 from side jobs. His children attend public kindergarten, with tuition (including meals) totaling about $300 per semester.
He praises Shenzhen highly. Drones deliver food within 15 minutes, self-driving taxis are widespread, subway fares cost only about $0.30, and cashless payments via smartphone are used throughout the city. The city boasts over a thousand parks, and his children are growing up fluent in French, English, and Mandarin.
He notes that his biggest safety concern is electric motorcycles—not gun violence.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1863459438864388/
Disclaimer: This article represents the personal views of the author.