Living in Kunming!!!

[MrYing]

Hi All,

I'm moving from Shenzhen to Kunming in about two months and I wanted to know as much about moving to Kunming as possible.

I've budgeted 800RMB a month, I don't mind sharing as long as the flat is furnished, is in a good student/ young location (to meet new people) and has a spare room for when friends and family come to visit me. Is this asking too much for that amount? Also are there any good area(s) which you recommend?

I'm planning to stay in a hostel for about a week and try to find places during that time. Do you think there is a better way? I've tried the internet but to no avail and I have no contacts in the city. Please give website, infor. on your current rent situation cost/ facilities anything. I'm not doing this through a university--making it harder.

Also (slightly different topic) do any of you recommend hiring a private tutor rather than going to a university course? I would like something on a one-to-one basis which is not as expensive as 50RMB per hour.

Thanks

[xiaohaiguil]

Firstly, 800RMB for renting a department in Kunming is enough. If you want to know more young people, you'd better live around Yunnan University, the rent is about 600-800RMB. Sharing with other people will make the price lower. I just want to know your work place, and then I can give a better advice. You can e-mail me for more imformation.

Secondly, a week living in the hotel will be ok, the price is not very high here. You can book one online. . You may choose your favorate, and I'll give some advice if needed.

In the end, I can give the lessons of Chinese. I am a graduate from Yunnan University.

[timkunming]

Hi there,

welcome to Kunming! I've lived here for about two years now, so maybe I can help you with some of the questions you've been having:

For 800 RMB a month, I would honestly say finding a decent place anywhere within the area of the universities and kind of foreign areas will cost a bit more than that - around 1000 RMB for a place around 100 square meters with two bedrooms, living room, bathroom. But these aren't common. My room is 60 square meters with a living room, two bedrooms, bathroom and kitchen. I pay 1,200 a month fully furnished.

Other than that, a private tutor or university classes are really up to you. Some of the students from the local universities will offer Chinese tutoring for an extremely cheap price (sometimes even free) but of course if you're serious about improving your Mandarin, this might not be the best choice.

Yunnan University and Yunnan Normal University have good classes, either private or in a class. Privately, expect to pay around 40-50 RMB per hour.

Kunming is certainly cheaper than other cities, but that's because pay for teaching and other jobs is much lower. Kunming is still relatively expensive if you're trying to support yourself with a teaching job.

In either case, good luck and let us know how everything goes!

[mr.stinky]

there really is no need to look exclusively in the uni area. kunming is actually a small

city, despite the population, and you can walk most anywhere if you choose. bus service is

good, and taxis are cheap.

our 3br place is about 800/month. i don't know the size, but must be 100+ sq.m.

flat came unfurnished, but furniture is cheap. the price difference (12 X 400...4800 rmb)

over one year will buy a lot of new, clean, unbroken furniture.

the flat is a 25 minute walk to the uni, or maybe 10 minutes by bus. 5 minute walk to bus

stop with half a dozen lines.

i started at yunnan normal mid-semester, took the minimum to be classed as a student.

12 hours individual tutoring per week @ 50 rmb/hour.