The only time I get ripped off are with taxis, and incorrect change given back at places like the hump. You can easily bargain in Chinese. Takes a day to learn the the numbering system, pick a number stick with it or walk away. If you frequent places where foreigners go you're more likely to get ripped off. Small vendors are to busy staring at you or wondering why you're there to rip you off. I'm guilty of going to foreign places for lunch since it's so close to my company, but I make enough for this habit. If you're making 5k a month you really shouldn't be out drinking or eating over priced food. If your excuse is you can't speak Chinese, 70% of places have giant pictures on the wall or on the menu. This whole china is out to get me attitude is getting old, most of the annoyances and problems I encounter are with foreigners.

Strongly suggest that you learn at least basic spoken Chinese once you get here, if you haven't already - you shouldn't think of the difficulty of 'mastering' the language, unless you're a real enthusiast, as that daunting prospect will keep you from even leearning how to say 'sige baozi'. Why would anybody want to live someplace where they couldn't speak to people? Karina, until you learn some characters, there are plenty of restaurants with menus written in pinyin, and/or in English.
As for learning to live in 'the real Chinese way', that's okay if you want to, although what that means is not quite clear to me, and I don't think the only alternative is to insist on re-creating 'the West' in China. So do what you want, but I strongly suggest you not close yourself off to everything to the point where you don't quite know where you are or how to do what you want, or for that matter not quite know what you want. Otherwise, why come here at all - for the money???

Back on topic *
Teaching English is not the only job here, there are all kinda of odd jobs in kunming and the surrounding area. Salary is not based on performance here, it's based on how well they can sell you. If you are well groomed, young, and with a BA you'll make 120 yuan an hour minimum with contract bonuses. Also there is the option of starting a business, it's super cheap here. Minimum is 16k usd investment, but there are companies that will provide proof of foreign bank with the minimum amount for a certain amount of yuan and a deposit. So if you start an online business you just have hosting cost and development cost.

Back on topic *
Teaching English is not the only job here, there are all kinda of odd jobs in kunming and the surrounding area. Salary is not based on performance here, it's based on how well they can sell you. If you are well groomed, young, and with a BA you'll make 120 yuan an hour minimum with contract bonuses. Also there is the option of starting a business, it's super cheap here. Minimum is 16k usd investment, but there are companies that will provide proof of foreign bank with the minimum amount for a certain amount of yuan and a deposit. So if you start an online business you just have hosting cost and development cost.

@mmkunmingteacher,

Awhile ago some people accused you of being somewhat self-righteous, and frankly I've got to agree. Though I can applaud you for making the best of your experiences in China—and can respect you for it, because few people make that effort or have that desire—you don't seem to grasp that other people either cannot replicate them, or do not want to.

For reference, there is no single "real Chinese way"—definitely not in country in excess of 1 billion people. Some Chinese people are very budget savvy—others are ridiculous spendthrifts who put NYC fashionistas to shame on how much they spend on travel, clothing, luxury goods and sheer decadence (100,000 RMB bills at restaurants for example).

As a second point, when Chinese immigrants come over to Europe or the US/Canada, they often bring China with them. You cannot even walk in sections of Vancouver and see any English signs, because they are all in Mandarin or Cantonese. They do this as citizens of their new homes, and most people have no problem with that. But by the same token, aren't those of us who are "guests" (because we cannot become citizens) deserve some corner of home in a place that is quite foreign and monocultural.

Anyway, rant done. Nothing personal, no value judgments on your argument that some people can live quite nicely on a regular salary, or the choice to live a more local lifestyle. Just please accept that others have different needs/priorities/desires than you.

Hmm... lack of an edit button. Irritating Scratch that entire first paragraph. It was uncalled for an hijacked the forum. Stressful day at work. Sincere apologies to mmkunmingteacher.

"As well, if you don't speak mandarin, I doubt it will be easy for you to order baozi for breakfast or noodles for dinner"

"Baozi" is the right word for baozi.

You pretty much know how to speak Mandarin without wanting to make the effort to do so.

@atwillden, I understand your points, but people in this thread have answered that 5,000 is not enough because you cannot eat in Western restaurants and go out to Western bars, etc. If we are in China, we should live like the Chinese (and most Chinese are savers and frugal, only the nouveau-riche spend like Westerners).

I also find other to be self-righteous when they insist that "foreigners will get ripped off," or that they just cannot eat Kunming food, as if millions of people are beneath their special Western standards, or that they just will not learn how to order a baozi, etc. To me, that is self-righteous and obnoxious. The fact is that 5,000 is more than many Chinese families make, and they do just fine, and so can we. That is the society and culture that we have chosen to live in. As for you comments about me, no sweat. I do know that I can come across that way in areas that I am passionate about. I do not mean to be offensive, but certain things just get my blood boiling, among them Westerners who refuse to fit in, and are paranoid about every little thing. But that is just me, and I could very well be wrong :)

I can understand Karina's point when I got here I couldn't speak a word of Chinese and it;s is very very difficult to order vegetarian food. Especially when quantities are considered vegetarian, like if there just small chunks of meat they will tell you " Oh it's vegetarian" or chicken is by many, not considered meat.

Yes of course you can ask your Chinese friends or learn a few words. By the way I guess that Karina is or will be able soon to order 4 baozi, but I doubt that she can make sure and I mean really sure she will get vegetarian food all the time for the next year, even if she is jia you-ing her Chinese.

Coz me being pretty much fluent in Chinese [if there ever is] still have my arguments, struggles and inquiries after my vegetarian dish is delivered with meat all over the plate.

Plus yes, there are pics on the walls of many restaurants but you can;t eat the same things at the same places all the time.

@kunmingteacher
Western bars are far cheaper tha Chinese bars especially that in Chinese bars the drinks are totally watered and soda'ed down.

And yes 5000RMB is not enough to live as foreigner in China and I am not talking about perks as going western dining or bars. There are plenty of costs that you have to make sure to finance. Yes for a fun year or for some extra student cash, sure it's great and I am sure by most of my Chinese friends that they earn about 3500RMB/ month and get cash send from their family, have other jobs etc.

I agree there is no this Chinese way. Plus there is no Chinese person [white collar] that is still below 3000RMB pay after 5 years, that's when guanxi kicks in or is used. My photographer friend makes 8000RMB a month. So does a business buddy of mine. In fact all my friends are pretty much at the 5000 or above level.

MMkmgteacher you got the dynamic at the wrong end. Sure some stay low pay for a abit but they climb up quick and they get tons of help, from family and friends.

So I'd say to hang out in China for a bit relax, enjoy the life here moderately 5000RMB is not bad. But plan to be here long time, when you need more stability, life investment, or just be moderately require securities, 5000RMB will not get you anywhere, especially eating out, let alone western food. or go partying.

I now finally after 15 years in China start to live ok, not even rich or upper middle class. I am at the level of my Chinese friends, working on normal jobs and getting help from the family. And I am working my butt off.

The only luxury I have is sending home 150US$ to support my family back home. not exactly decadent I would say.

I did live as a Chinese you depict eating baozi every day and the cheapest food available, but what for, and as I said, no local lives like that for longer than a year, maybe migrant workers but even for them it's a temp thing.

So eating vegetarian a a newbie here is hard, and you can't and don't want them to babysit you all the time.

The food lingua will come fastest anyway, but if you have allergies or preferences until you are fluent you are mildly screwed.
Especially we should know asking your friends to translate and order for you is not exactly helping your language acquisition, right?

So don't oversimplify things, it's easy having a chinese spouse next to you as other struggle with their order while only speaking a dozen of words of textbook Chinese that nobody other than your Chinese teacher understands.

I've been there, it was the most exciting time in my life but also the most tricky one. And besides talking with hand and feet trying to give impressions of the animals I don't want to consume and making their sounds[which are completely different in different cultures] and being a complete jackass. In terms of my food preferences I failed badly.