Hello,

First of all I am not a native english speaker so please, don't mind it if I make few mistakes.
I have got a job in one of the university of Kunming as a lecturer.
After reading few threads, I am quite uncomfortable regarding the salary I will get, and I feel I have been scamed.
I have got the package (flight tickets, free appartment on the campus all charges included, vacations for new year...) but my salary will be 3200 RMB a month for a 16h/week contract.

I read in an other thread that university teacher usually get 5000 RMB with the same package. How is that possible ?
I have got this contract through an ad on the ambassy website. For the Yunnan, the salaries were the same everywhere, around 3500 RMB. 5000 RMB was for more expensive cities like Beijing.
Is there a salary difference between English/ other language teacher ?

As well, with the Z visa I have, may I work for private schools a a part-timer ?

If I understand well, the pay is much higher there, right ?

Thanx !

There is usually something in the contract that says whether you can take a part time job or not. Language schools certainly pay more but you would be working on weekends.

3200 seems very low. I would struggle on that monthly salary.

It is not a scam, it is that Kunming has a culture of low pay for uni people. There is no excuse, I was given 5000 in Zhengzhou for 16 hours, and that was 3 years ago.
And yes, unless you live like a student it will not be easy to live on that, if you want to put a little by for travel.

Ouch, that doesn't sound good.

I actually don't know Zhengzhou, do the living cost are the same than in Kunming ?
Regarding if this money is enough for a decent living, I must precise that I don't have any student loan to pay back (I actually don't have any loan at all). For food, activities and travel, it is not enough ?
T___T

It is not a scam. They offered a job and you accepted. I would get some part time work, If you work another 16hr somewhere it would be better. 3200rmb is just (or not) enough just to live a life and have fun a couple nights a month!!

I would look to double that to have any sort of social life( go out drinking and eating a couple times a week).

From experience, Zhengzhou is actually cheaper than Kunming to live.

If you eat like a Chinese, don't go to bars or Western restaurants and travel once a year. It's enough...

Yep, ZZ is cheaper to live in than Kunming. Everything here passes through more middlemen on the way to market, and local people here stretch their margins, often to breaking point.
Rent here is a bit higher than average, so is food and everything else. Actually, Starbucks does not seem expensive luxury here.
The only good thing about Kunming is the general living environment, compared to some other cities. But like all cities the quality of that is being eroded.

I lived in Shanghai a few years ago, I used to hate it, but now I enjoy going back. Believe it or not.

This person doesn't need to pay for rent or utilities or internet or transportation to work. 3200rmb should allow a decent amount of western food and nightlife per month. Travel in China is another matter, as it's a larger expense and discretionary. But he or she, has a free plane ticket home. Yes, the salary might still be low compared to other places, but it's more than enough to live on with that package.

It's a "she" AlexKMG ! Thank you very much for your answer !

When all you guys talk about western food, are you talking about restaurants or doing groceries in Metro, Wallmart or Carrefour ?