Many times you will find that it is hotter outside than it is inside. Probably has to do with the cement walls and no insulation. Enjoy! :-).

There are some good sites to see so come see for yourself.
www.hugoyunnantravel.com/des_kunming.asp

cool yea of course i need to come down. just wanna get some feedback.

i was hoping to know if there were any social sites which focus on kunming area. something like bjstuff or thebeijinger.

i know about the cold in the house because ive spent time in fujian many times and that isn't going to bother me as much as trying to protect my guitar and stuff from freezing. so i guess its electric heaters then.

seems that if one is outside any major city in china. that the level of life drops. well thats ok with me as long as i can find

clean air
mountains
chances to work
have some foreign things(foods, etc)
can find places outside a city for astronomy(a passion)

here in beijing we get all this and more but the prices, pollution and traffic just suck rotten eggs.

The comments on Beijing vs Kunming are making me much better. As a laowai who will be starting my China experience in Kunming, I was very much trying to avoid anything like Beijing or Shanghai. I thought about Chongqing, but I'm still iffy on that one. As a person who was born and raised in NYC, lived in Atlanta and near DC, spent too much time in places like LA and Chicago, I got tired/Jaded with all of that. I figured, though the language and ethnicities may be rearranged, places like Beijing and Shanghai would be more of the same. Kunming sounds like a true break from the big city which I hope I can truly appreciate.

All of this was very helpful, I am as well looking into going to Kunming to spend some time at Kunming Empire foreign language school. If anyone knows anything about that I would appreciate it. And also about apartment prices if we could start talking about that. Where is a good neighborhood to look into, within walking distance of Kunming empire foreign language school.

The rents in Kunming is going up so fast, it's ridiculous. You will find that there are always Real Estate agencies in every complex area. Prices can run from 1,500 and up for a one bedroom. Expect to pay upfront 6 months to a years plus the maintenance fee.

Coincidence that there's currently a China-wide competition to find the best city in China for foreigners being run by the Foreign Experts Bureau and the PSB? Kunming has made it to the last 18 (as far as i can tell). I got my "survey and ballot" today.

I got my ballot today too. Same guff as last year. Same Chinglish. Pointless, eg "Which cities have the most transparent policies towards foreign experts?"?? Who knows? Who cares? Someone somewhere has a job thinking up ways to pat themselves on the back. Vent over!