Thinking about a semester abroad in Beijing

[Kyschu]

Hi there,

I just got accepted for a semester abroad at UIBE Bejing this fall term. Also have a few other options to go abroad next summer so I am not quite sure yet if I should accept the place in Bejing. (just assuming COVID situation is solved till then) 

 

The major thing bothering me is that I read online that winters in Bejing are terrible. Really cold, most polluted time of the year and overall a very grey experience. Is it really that bad to live in Bejing in winter? I´ll be there from September to January. 

 

The other question is how expensive is stuff in Bejing? How much does the averageinternational student spend in Bejing a month? (excluding rent )

[889]

What kind of winters are you used to?

 

If you're the very social type, of course you can burn up money easily in Beijing. Stay at home and study every night, you'll get by easily. Ordinary meals in ordinary restaurants remain reasonable.

[Kyschu]

Used to Dutch Winters - so basically no "real" winters . Minus degrees are quite rare. 

[Lu]

Beijing winters are pretty bleak, in my experience. Cold (-10 or so), very dry (bad for the skin). On the upside, September and October are by far the nicest months: they feel like a nice summer day in the Netherlands. Warm but not too hot. November is colder, December and January are cold. (Also you miss Sinterklaas and Christmas, but that's completely worth it for a semester abroad.)

 

As to costs: it really depends if you spend your weekends taking taxis to Sanlitun and drinking cocktails, or taking the metro to a park/museum/outdoors thing, or drinking Yanjing from the shop at your campus. Same for food: it's not difficult to spend 100 or 200 yuan on a meal, but it's also not a real stretch to spend 10 or 20.

[889]

The cold itself is probably manageable for you, especially since indoors tend to be toasty and everyone wraps up good before going out. Bear in mind, too, if you're reading up on winters in China, that winters in Beijing are nothing like the bitter bitter winters you'll find in Dongbei. Comfy by comparison, actually.

 

If you've got respiratory problems of any sort, though, Beijing may be bad for you. The dry air that's dirty not just from urban pollution but from dust sometimes blown down from the north is hard on some people. You really won't know how it affects you till you're there.

 

Again, if you fall in with a group of Westerners that like to go out a lot, you will be spending money. Up to you, really.

 

 

[Jan Finster]

Congratulations!

 

There is this famous welcome message from Finland (below). I would say, you could say the same thing about going to Beijing in winter:

 

Of course, if you are a badass, you will be fine ? 

Seriously, I have been in Beijing in December and January several times for seminars. It is not just cold. Forget, what you know about "cold" from Europe. It is bone-chill cold when the wind blows. I have never felt so cold in my life. Then there is smog, which could be quite unpleasant, even if you are not asthmatic. 

 

Last November I was in Guangzhou for a week. 天气晴朗 Blue skies and sunny. Went hiking in the green parks and mountains...

 

If you have options to go to northern China between April and September, I would rather take them.

 

 

 

[ChTTay]

Not sure when some of the above posters last came to Beijing...

 

Statically pollution is getting better year on year.  It’s not like winter comes and the smog rolls across the skyline and stays there. What I remember most about winter here is crisp blue skies. I’m not even kidding. Yeah, there are polluted periods but they’re usually about 2-3 days and no where near as common or as severe as they were in the past.
 

If you visit for a week and are unlucky enough to get a polluted period then you leave thinking it’s always like that. 

 

As for the cold, just wear the right clothes and it’s fine. I’m from the U.K. which is pretty mild (but wet) all year round. After a month of summer here I look forward to the winter so much. It’s not like we’re getting into -40 or something. Last winter I feel like it was mostly between 0 and -10. Nice pair of good boots and a good coat. If you really feel the cold get some Uniqlo thermals when you arrive.  As above, anywhere indoors is often extremely warm in winter here. I also like that it’s not cold and wet here. It doesn’t feel as cold and you don’t have to worry about it raining. It does snow sometimes though. 
 

As for cost, depends entirely on you. If you go and eat salad and sandwiches every day in Western restaurants then it will cost more. If you eat at the University canteen 3 meals a day, 5 days a week it will be unbelievably cheap. The most expensive thing in Beijing is rent. If you’re on your Uni campus then that probably won’t be an issue.There are many very affordable options. 
 

Agree about the dry air. If you have respiratory or sinus issues already it can make them worse. 

[RitaLin]

Spent fall/winter/summer in Beijing and saw the progression of the seasons; there were no rude shocks, everything went gradually from phase to phase. The pollution situation in Beijing was much better than my expectations, even if you have no experience of Asian mega cities. If you don't have chronic respiratory issues, the winter will be fine. We saw the temp drop to -11 but marginally good winter gear, boots, coat, gloves, mask, will get you through it. You need to cut out the cold breeze. When indoors, we would roam the university corridors in our pyjamas. All this depends on what you are used to. I went there after a stint in a comparatively warmer climate and the gradual changes of the seasons prepared me for the coming winter. Besides, peak winter is usually Spring Festival time around when Beijing (or at least the campuses) becomes a ghost town. You will probably want to take that opportunity to travel outside Beijing. Even if you stay put, the winter is bearable, with clear sky days and no snowfall at all. As for expenses, compared to Shanghai, Beijing is very affordable, compared to Tianjin it is a bit expensive. If uni is sorting your accommodation then you are in a good position for budgeting your funds. Use campus facilities for dining, sports, field trips etc, go to the smaller cinemas near campus and do not shop from malls, do it online. And you can live comfortably and even find room for an occasional weekend splurge

[roddy]

Beijing winters were some of my favourite times. Is it cold? Yes. Is it generally a crisp dry cold that you can ward off with thermal underwear? Yes. Sign me up.

 

If you're from a part of the world which has wet oceanic winters, a colder but dry continental winter is a revelation. 

[Kyschu]

Thanks for your replies so far guys ?

 

Coming back to the expenses part: I would get a room in the UIBE dorm which runs around 300 or 350 Euro I think. Besides that I planned with around 700 a month for other spendings making around 1k in total. Is that reasonable for Bejing? 

[ChTTay]

8 hours ago, Kyschu said:

700 a month for other spendings making around 1k in total. Is that reasonable for Bejing?

Reasonable but, as above, depends what you’re doing. If you eat mostly Chinese food and just go to western restaurants occasionally then you should be quite comfortable.

[Jellyfish]

I agree with what others said about it depending mainly on lifestyle. Just to give you an idea in terms of numbers - I am quite frugal, but I lived quite happily on 2500 RMB a month in Shanghai in 2017. Mind you, I mainly ate at the university canteen (never to Western restaurants), but I still went into town to meet friends for bubble tea or coffee and I never really had to watch my money towards the end of the month. I only went clubbing or to bars very occasionally, maybe once a month at most. The only time when I had to top up my 2500 RMB scholarship by taking out some of my own savings was when I went for a weekend break with friends, or when I went on a shopping spree. Food, coffee, public transport and the occasional drink are covered with 2500-3000 RMB. You'll be fine. Have fun in Beijing!

[roddy]

I'm amused by the idea Western restaurants are still synonymous with expensive eating-out. Surely by now you can blow a whole scholarship on a couple of high-end Chinese meals if you want to? 

[vellocet]

Students wouldn't even know how to find a high-end Chinese restaurant.  They wouldn't like it even if they could find one.  Western restaurants, however, are everywhere in Beijing and will happily relieve you of ¥200 per person plus ¥150 for two beers.  People get addicted to it real fast.  Why eat Chinese food?  You know they eat donkey meat in Beijing?  Eww gross.  

[ChTTay]

7 hours ago, roddy said:

I'm amused by the idea Western restaurants are still synonymous with expensive eating-out.

It’s more that almost every Western place is relatively expensive whereas the majority of Chinese places you see are relatively cheap. Especially smaller ones or ones at street level. 
 

Walk into a Western restaurant and, as Vellocet says, it will dent your wallet without doubt. Walk into a random Chinese place and it more than likely won’t. Of course there are fancy and expensive Chinese restaurants but you usually need to seek these out. Especially if you’re a student

[Lu]

What ChTTay says. Not all expensive restaurants are Western and not all Chinese restaurants are cheap, but all Western restaurants are expensive and all cheap restaurants are Chinese.

[roddy]

But all expensive restaurants are expensive, hence it being a clearer term. For what it's worth, my experience with students is that they're hugely reluctant to eat Western food, as they're so keen on getting their authentic Chinese experience. Which is fine, unless I wanted a KFC, which I often did. 土豆泥万岁。

[ChTTay]

11 hours ago, roddy said:

my experience with students is that they're hugely reluctant to eat Western food, as they're so keen on getting their authentic Chinese experience.

True for some! There’s so many more Western options these days that I think even those students might go for some “western food” at weekends Or whenever  they let loose. When the option was Chinese or KFC then I can see why Chinese won out ?

 

Actually when I lived in Yinchuan it was this exact choice. I had more KFC in that year than I’ve ever had before or after.  It helped (not sure that’s the right term) that it was below my workplace. Quickest lunch going. 
 

In fact, Wudaokou is one place you can get relatively cheap western food. It’s not good though. Well, it is after several cheap beers... 

[xinoxanu]

I hail from a warm and sunny coastal city in the Mediterranean, but I've also spent weeks at a time in sub-zero temperatures and at high altitudes... and up until now I was living in Chengdu - so I definitely know about cold.

 

Yet, last January I was in Beijing before 春运 and gosh, it's the coldest I've ever been in my life: -10 to -20 C degrees on average even with sunny blue skies!

 

Good thing is that pollution was little to none while Chengdu was sitting at 180AQI with blurry skies... and you could see the sea from 慕田峪 ?