The City or the Countryside?

The pros and cons of urban versus rural living for expats in China.

Many foreigners considering a move to China choose where to live solely based on where a job or loved one is located. But for other expats, there’s no set destination. Sabbatical seekers, long term vacationers, backpackers or retirees, and in some cases teachers or university professors, have the chance to live in the Middle Kingdom and experience one of the oldest yet most modern societies in human history.

Thus the question: urban or rural?

Deciding to relocate to China with little prior sino experience can be an exciting yet difficult proposition. There are many factors to consider, and Western media has done no one any favors by overwhelmingly depicting China as the land of bamboo, soaring kung fu warriors, qipao-clad temptresses, wise tea-sipping gurus and rice fields as far as the eye can see.

In reality though, the last remaining vestiges of many of these sights are some of the most popular tourist destinations in the country with foreigners and locals alike. China has changed and adapted just like every other country in the world, and iPhones, traffic, shopping malls, office buildings and motorways are now more common than Buddhist temples and masterful musicians delighting passersby with the mystical sounds of their pipa.

So what is life really like in China? Is settling in the cities really that much different from the moving to the country? Let’s take a look.

Employment

The single biggest factor that has affected China’s urban versus rural demographics, particularly over the past 15 years, is employment. The idea that the only good jobs to be had are in the cities has resulted in China’s urban population swelling from about 30 percent of the total population to nearly 55 percent in 2012, meaning an estimated 700 million Chinese now live in cities. This massive growth has resulted in overcrowding in every major city in China, resulting in huge amounts of stress being put on public infrastructure such as schools, healthcare, utilities and public transportation.

Similarly, the primary reason that most expats settle in cities is because of their job. And the majority of these employment opportunities are located in the China’s ‘eastern corridor,’ the nation’s wealthiest region thanks to a long history of manufacturing and shipping in primarily Shanghai, Beijing, and Guangzhou.

On the other hand, foreigners who move to China without a job in hand; who want to travel a bit as well as do a bit of work will usually end up teaching their native language at a school or afterschool supplementary education center. While these schools are spread throughout the country, as most Chinese feel that learning a foreign language will improve their employment and other future opportunities, the average rural family cannot afford to attend these private learning centers so wages and employment options will be much lower than what is available in a city. So, if a living wage is a concern, then a rural area may be out of the question.

Visa

As of July 1, 2013, the central Chinese government has seriously overhauled their immigration and visa policies, which means that tourist visas are now somewhat more restrictively issued and enforced to eliminated illegal employment. Foreigners residing in the country on a short term visa are now much less common, as fines and deportation have become commonplace for visa violators.

To this end, the choice between a rural or city home may be based on how long you want to stay in China. A few months could be easily accomplished on a tourist visa in either location, but longer may require a residency permit which is usually only available when legal employment is secured. Alternatively you could marry a local: then you are free to live wherever you like.

Convenience

Living in a rural setting means accepting that you will have to go without a lot of conveniences. Typically, the only options for food and dining will be the local wet market, small Chinese grocery stores, and handful of local restaurants. While the local fare is usually delicious, foreigners will often bore quickly of the limited choices. Other shopping is pretty limited, too. In fact, boredom is one of the biggest problems not just for foreigners in rural China, but for young Chinese as well. As a result, teen pregnancy and alcoholism are both on the rise among Chinese youth, and most foreigners don’t last too long in their countryside location simply because they feel bored and isolated.

Additionally, getting around in the countryside can be a hassle since the only connectivity between surrounding villages, towns and cities will be buses or in some cases public trains. This means that commuting will take a major time investment, and getting to a major international airport to travel back home can often involve a domestic flight just to get to a city that serves flights abroad. And, not that it should be a major concern, but automobile accident-related deaths are much more common in rural areas, partly due to poor roads, poor driving over long distances, and much higher driving speeds than in cities.

Stress

Beyond the expected strain expats experience - homesickness, ‘weird’ food, pollution, trying to learn Mandarin - other stresses can come into play as well. Expats with a family will discover that no matter where they settle in China, life both in and outside the family will be different, and some may not be able to make the adjustments as easily as others. When deciding where to live, parents should take the needs of their children into account.

With regard to schooling, be aware that the Chinese educational system is vastly different from that of the Western world, and even very young children often have a hard time assimilating. Fortunately, in major cities there are international schools that educate in English (or French, Spanish, etc.) for the majority of their curriculum and then include Mandarin as separate courses to help students become fluent. Cost can be a factor, however, since tuition for these private schools is very high.

Finally, for adults there is the stress of living and working in China. While every job will have its own unique stress and demands, being far from home, dealing with your job and coping with the culture that sometimes seems to make no sense can become overwhelming. In rural areas, the culture shock can be even more extreme, since many poor Chinese have had little or no exposure to outsiders and often can’t fathom why anyone would think, act, or do things any differently than they do.

Personal Preferences

In the end, your own tastes, background, and what you hope to get out of your time living in China should dictate whether you choose to become an urbanite or a rural dweller. Many expats have claimed that they “want to experience the culture,” but the fact is that China’s culture is widely varied, meaning that there is city culture, village culture, and everything in between. Furthermore, China lives in the modern world, so just like where you come from, the culture of today and the culture in history books don’t look too much alike.

An easy way to decide what you want to be surrounded with in China could be summed up by asking yourself a few questions:

1. Do you want to see more Ferraris or more water buffalo in a single day?

2. Do you like to buy your groceries in a Western-style supermarket or from the farmer himself?

3. Do you want to blend into the crowd at the expat bars or stand out from everyone you pass on the street?

4. Do you prefer skyscrapers or rice fields?

Remember, choosing one location over the other doesn’t mean you can’t have the best of both worlds. Travel within China is fairly easy and affordable, so you can live in one place and see lots of others.

The choice is yours.

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