Hello everyone and welcome back to our Biesinger FIRE Journey blog. In today’s post, I’m excited to share with you the breakdown of our expenses here in China for the month of March (2023).
Just a side note that hitting Coast FIRE, quitting our 9 to 5 jobs, and moving abroad has been such a fun journey and we’re excited to share it with you.
Without further ado, let’s jump into each of our expense categories! The currency type mentioned here is USD (just an FYI).
Table of Contents
KID’S EXPENSES: $798.3
The expenses for our kids were unusually high this month because we purchased year-long fun center passes; one for our son and one for our daughter.
At first, we just got a pass for our 2-1/2 old son but quickly found out that our 1-year-old daughter also really liked the fun center. The reason we didn’t get her a pass at first is that she couldn’t walk yet.
It was actually a very good deal since they have unlimited entries into the fun center and we already have been going multiple times each week. Inside there are tons of fun things our kids can do. 🙂
In March we also spent money on diapers and milk. In China, most things are cheaper than in the US but milk actually costs more than double the price!
My wife runs some Chinese social media accounts so we’ve been fortunate to receive some kid items such as clothes, formula, skincare, and more from brand deals. Our social media accounts in China have been growing much better than in the US, so we always appreciate the support if you’d like to subscribe to our YouTube channel so we can grow here too, and produce more content!
Lastly, we were fortunate to receive some second-hand outfits from neighbors for free! This helped us save a lot of money for our kiddos.
DINING OUT: $138.8
If live or visit China, we HIGHLY recommend using the apps called Meituan and Douyin! These apps provide discounts at tons of places like drink shops and restaurants.
At first we made the mistake of thinking, oh wow everything is cheaper here when compared to US prices, BUT we shortly found out we could save MORE money by using these apps.
We also love going to food streets where the food is typically cheaper, and also so delicious I’m getting hungry just thinking about it.
MEDICAL: $25
This cost came from our daughter needing a vaccine. In China, the vaccine or shot requirements are sometimes different. For example, we want our kids to get all required USA shots so we need to pay ourselves for some of them.
Something really nice though is kids’ wellness checks are free!
RENT/LIVING EXPENSES: $149.
As mentioned previously, my wife has had some success on a few Chinese social media platforms. So we also received some items such as shampoo, skin care, and even pizza from doing brand deals.
This has allowed us to save a lot of money! Another quick shoutout to subscribe to my channel so I can catch up with my wife’s channel lol!
Currently, we are living with my in-laws so they have helped with utilities and also frequently make meals.
Sometimes we try to give my in-laws money but they always refuse. The culture in China is very different, especially since my wife is the only child in her family. They tell us that once they pass away all the money is my wife’s anyway. So we still take care of our personal things like clothes but they have helped us with rent and some food costs.
If you’re curious, rent is actually really cheap in my wife’s city, especially if you’re comparing it to big cities such as Beijing or Shanghai. In my wife’s city, you can rent about anything from between $200-$500. It just depends on how big and luxurious you want.
PHONE PLAN: $25
Our Chinese phone plans are currently on a family plan with our in-laws, but we are covering the cost of my international phone with Google FI. This helps me stay in contact with my family in America.
TRANSPORTATION: $0
While not all people have zero transportation costs, my wife and I fall into the category of not owning a car in my wife’s city here so we just ride electric bikes! Which honestly is very convenient, and FUN!
You can see more on transportation costs in China here: Our Transporation Costs (Southern China City)
Total: $1,136.1
So in total, our expenses for the month of March amounted to $1,136.10. Make sure to bookmark this website so you can see more updates on our costs of living and semi-retired life abroad! 🙂
