A Different Standard of Living...

So, having arrived in China, one of the big things I've realized is that the standard of living and the cost of human labor are both quite lower than what we expect or are used to in the US. My dad moved here
basically in the last year or two for business purposes, and helps manage a small company focusing on the production of diesel fuel. In being the "boss", he has the luxury of several amenities that are scarily affordable here when you consider the conversion of money - things like a driver and a housekeeper/cook.

However, that isn't to say that things are "ultra cheap" in China - they aren't. Cars cost the same here, but are simply a much greater luxury to the people. The typical working individual thus typically takes public transportation. For example, people graduating out of college get paid like $300 US per month! So getting a car for them is extremely impractical. What it really seems to show is that there is a huge spectrum between the rich and "poor". Even that kind of salary actually provides quite a normal working life here - so now I can understand why coming from the US here could make you feel sort of wealthy or why others have exclaimed how cheap things are.

While some things therefore are "cheap", there are certainly still a huge number of items that are the same as we'd find in the US - like electronics, a trip to the movie theaters, etc. I imagine people simply
live life different here in order to maximize on their money. When you think about how much you save from luxuries that we typically have, I guess that does leave some more money to be spent on other things instead.

At the same time, I admit that some items do seem to cost very little here - especially in local markets where you can find things like a pair of gloves for $1, or ride a taxi across town for about $1.50. I guess it all depends on where you go and what you do.