I'm strongly considering moving from Kunming to Tianjin next autumn because I want to be somewhere close to Beijing but not as expensive, and also somewhere where they speak better Mandarin as I think I'll learn more quickly. Also I'm a bit bored of Kunming's weather and I miss having proper seasons - here it just goes from slightly hot to slightly cold, no fun in that. And at the risk of offending some Kunmingers, I sometimes find it a bit backward here. Although it also has a hell of a lot going for it so I don't mean to complain too much.

I was just wondering whether anyone's lived in or visited Tianjin and has any comments on it. I'm particularly interested in cost of living versus KM, also people, culture, learning chinese, and getting some part-time teaching work.

We found rent and fruit much more expensive than Kunming. Veges are about the same cost as here. Tianjin dialect can be hard to understand but easier than Kunming dialect.

The international brands of supermarkets such as Carrefour sell much more local goods than in km.

Better and more expensive western restuarants can be found in TJ than Km.

The international professional community is large and well established with many events.

The city is huge and not so easy to get around. Its easy to bike in tj due to the flat conditions and wide roads.

Tj people are for the most extremly friendly.

Apart from the centre of Tianjin the rest is extremly dirty and unpleasant, which unfortuantly can also be said of Kunming at the moment.

I am also considering leaving Kunming as soon as my rent contract finishes. It seems more like a dusty place for budget travellers and retirees rather than a dream destination.

When I was in Beijing, I took the train to visit Tianjin. It was a very short train ride. The first thing I noticed was that it had a lot less people than in Beijing. There were as many people as in Beijing suburbs. Maybe it was becaus eI went there during the week. Main streets were very quiet, even the "Wangfujin of Tianjin" . A lot less migrant workers. And locals were very friendly. On our arrival, a girl on the bus paid for our fare from the train station because we didn't have spare change. We have visited the concession streets. There was a guy on a motorised rickshaw who insited on driving us around, but we preferd to enjoy a walk through the streets. He still slowly drove alongside us and made presentations for every place we went to in the concession streets.
As for the rent, I only asked two landlords and one agent. There was a new community next to the ferris wheel and the rent there was around 2000yuan for a 50m2 apartment, heating included.
I am not exactly sure about the taxi fare, but I think it was a little bit cheaper than in Kunming.
As for jobs, I guess it's the same as any other place in China: if you are white with light coloured hair and eyes, you are qualified.

I visited TJ about 2 years ago, the air wasn't bad then. Neither was traffic. But 2 years is a long time in China. I have no doubt that rent, travel times, and traffic have all increased.

Kunming is not a dream destination, but is mainly a springboard for Yunnan. KMG is also different in different parts of the city. Dianchi is less well serviced than the city centre, but is soooooo much cleaner, and the environment is so much nicer.

TJ is not really a destination either. But with the bullet train is only about half an hour from BJ.

I have also considered living in Qingdao, where the locals are friendly, and rent in the old town was not too high. There are so many great cities in China, but they all have their downsides.