The honest numbers
Ninety days in China, line by line
We publish our full cost basis — including our fee — so you can check the math yourself. These are mid-2026 estimates from Numbeo, Caixin, and the National Bureau of Statistics; every figure gets replaced with actuals after the first cohort.
90 days in Kunming — by tier
Choose your accommodation level. Your lifestyle determines the rest.
Core $3,600
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Core package — our service ($1,900) + standard apartment (~$675-850, passed through at cost) + setupPaid to: Tangping → landlord | $3,600 |
| Living costs (your lifestyle)Paid to: Local economy | ~$660-2,260 |
| FlightsPaid to: Airline | $900-1,400 |
| Visa + extension feesPaid to: Governments | ~$290 |
| InsurancePaid to: Insurer | ~$200 |
| True all-in | $5,650–7,750 |
Plus $4,200
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Plus package — our service ($1,900) + upgraded apartment (~$850-1,200, passed through at cost) + setupPaid to: Tangping → landlord | $4,200 |
| Living costs (your lifestyle)Paid to: Local economy | ~$660-2,260 |
| FlightsPaid to: Airline | $900-1,400 |
| Visa + extension feesPaid to: Governments | ~$290 |
| InsurancePaid to: Insurer | ~$200 |
| True all-in | $6,250–8,350 |
Frictionless $4,800
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Frictionless package — our service ($1,900) + serviced apartment (~$2,100-2,700, passed through at cost)Paid to: Tangping → property | $4,800 |
| Living costs (your lifestyle)Paid to: Local economy | ~$660-2,260 |
| FlightsPaid to: Airline | $900-1,400 |
| Visa + extension feesPaid to: Governments | ~$290 |
| InsurancePaid to: Insurer | ~$200 |
| True all-in | $6,850–8,950 |
Security deposit (~$225-300 depending on tier) is refundable and excluded from the all-in. You get it back.
Living costs: your lifestyle, your choice
The ranges below are market-research estimates for Kunming — we'll replace them with real cohort numbers after the pilot. The 'Local Life' profile (~$220/month) isn't deprivation — it's how a solid majority of Kunming residents actually live. You're not inventing a new system; you're joining an existing one.
Local Life
Eat like a Kunming resident
~$660 for 90 days
This isn't extreme frugality — it's middle-class local life. You're eating where locals eat, shopping where locals shop. The infrastructure already exists; you're just opting into it.
A typical day:
- Breakfast (¥8-12): Neighborhood 小锅米线 shop — made-to-order in a small copper pot
- Lunch (¥12-18): Home-cooked stir-fry or street food from the market
- Dinner (¥12-25): Local restaurant — 过桥米线, regional Yunnan dishes, or grilled skewers
- Transport: Metro and bus — ¥2-4 per trip
- Social: Parks, night markets, public squares — all free
You're not isolated in your apartment. The social life is built into the food culture — street stalls, night markets, tea houses. The exact stalls and dishes we've vetted, with prices, are in the food guide.
Weekly routine
- Wet market visits: 2-3x per week for fresh produce (¥60-80 total)
- Restaurant meals: 4-5 meals at local spots (¥60-100 total)
- Home cooking: Simple stir-fries, eggs + tomato, 豆腐 dishes
- Social time: Parks, night markets, tea houses (¥10-20/session)
Watch first
Before you decide if $220/month feels realistic: Watch the three videos above. They show the actual median lifestyle in Kunming — not an expat bubble, not poverty, just regular life.
You'll see the markets, the restaurants, the cooking. It's not exotic or difficult. It's just different — and cheaper.
Balanced
Half local, half convenience
~$1,386 for 90 days
50/50 split between home cooking and eating out. More delivery (Meituan is cheap — ¥3-6 delivery fee, 20-30 min). Some western options when you want them.
A typical day:
- Breakfast (¥15-25): Coffee + pastry or upgraded local breakfast
- Lunch (¥20-30): Delivery from local restaurants (Meituan)
- Dinner (¥30-60): Mix of local spots and western-style restaurants
- Transport: Mix of metro and occasional DiDi rides
You're still living like a local — just with more convenience and occasional western comforts. The vetted local spots are in the food guide.
Expat Comfort
All convenience, some imported
~$2,260 for 90 days
Mostly restaurants, some western groceries, premium VPN. This is what the majority of foreigners in Kunming actually spend — and it's still cheaper than staying in the US.
A typical day:
- Breakfast (¥40-60): Hotel breakfast or western cafe
- Lunch (¥50-80): Western restaurant or upscale local spot
- Dinner (¥100-150): Nice restaurant, maybe imported alcohol
- Transport: DiDi rides, more convenience
You're buying the quarter in China, not savings — but you're still spending less than staying home in a US metro.
| Category | Local Life | Balanced | Comfort |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food | $165/mo | $330/mo | $490/mo |
| Transport | $20/mo | $60/mo | $125/mo |
| Phone + data | $3/mo | $5/mo | $8/mo |
| VPN | $2/mo | $7/mo | $30/mo |
| Miscellaneous | $30/mo | $60/mo | $100/mo |
What $220/month actually feels like
Numbers don't convey experience. Here's what the Local Life profile feels like in practice.
You're not isolated
Food is social in China. Night markets, street stalls, parks — these are public spaces where people gather. You're not cooking alone in your apartment; you're eating where the city eats.
You're not inventing anything
The wet market routine, the noodle shop breakfast, the ¥15 lunch — these already exist. You're joining a system that works for millions of people. The infrastructure is there.
You're not eating blandly
Yunnan cuisine is distinct: sour-spicy broths, fresh mushrooms, regional flavors. This isn't deprivation eating. It's genuinely good food that happens to be cheap.
You're not locked in
This isn't a prison diet. You can upgrade any meal. The difference between Local Life and Balanced is maybe ¥100-150/week — an easy trade when you want it.
Build familiarity before you fly
Culture shock comes from the unknown. Watch these videos before you arrive, and day one will feel recognizable, not alien.
DAILY LIFE
Watch these over a weekend before you fly. By the time you land, you'll recognize the markets, the restaurants, the rhythm. It won't feel alien — it'll feel like something you've already seen.
90 days in a US metro — staying put
Many people downsize when laid off. We compare to keeping your current life.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rent (3 months, national avg 1BR) | $4,644–4,983 |
| Health insurance (3 months)ACA with subsidy to COBRA | $534–2,400 |
| Food, transit, utilities (3 months) | $1,500–2,500 |
| All-in | $6,678–9,883 |
If you'd downscale or move home, your burn rate is lower — but you're also compromising on the life you want to protect.
Moving home: ~$2,000-4,000 for 90 days (mostly food, insurance). Roomshare: ~$4,000-6,000.
Core with a moderate lifestyle typically saves ~$1,500–2,000 versus staying put; a frugal quarter against big-metro US costs saves up to ~$4,000. Frictionless with daily restaurants can cost about what staying home does — you'd be buying the quarter in China, not savings. We'd rather you know that now.
By city
Five base cities
Shenyang / Harbin
| 1BR center | ~¥1,400 (~$195) |
|---|---|
| 1BR outside | ~¥900 (~$125) |
| Monthly, ex-rent | ~$450 |
Cost basis: 2026 national 1BR rent $1,548-1,661 (Realtor.com, Apartments.com); COBRA $400-800/mo, ACA with subsidy ~$178/mo (KFF 2026); food/transit/utilities from BLS Consumer Expenditure Survey. China costs from Numbeo mid-2026; national rent index falling 11+ consecutive months (Caixin).