Accommodation in Beijing
Accommodation in Beijing can range from fantastic to abysmal, but there are good options for expats in almost every neighbourhood. The trick is finding a neighbourhood that meets your needs, but that can be more than a little difficult at times.
Almost all of the housing available in the Beijing city centre is in apartment form, and most are not exorbitantly spacious. Most expats put high priority on having an apartment with a modern kitchen (with counters, refrigerator, and storage, along with the standard sink and a stove top), and many old-style Beijing flats aren't exactly accommodating in this department.
There are houses available at various villas located farther outside of the city, and these will have far more Western amenities, including yards, ovens, and possibly even a pool or a dryer.
Accommodation in Beijing may be furnished or unfurnished, and the price should reflect that fact; it’s really not guaranteed either way, and even less guaranteed is the style (or lack thereof) with which a place may be furnished. If you find yourself needing to add to your accommodation, there are various places across Beijing to buy or have furniture made, including markets and IKEA. Expat should take this into consideration before shipping every item from house and home overseas.
Pricing varies widely in Beijing:
In general, security is not a terribly big issue for expats in Beijing. Commonsense security measures are generally enough to keep you relatively safe. Locking your doors, using a safe for your valuables, and avoiding first-floor apartments if you’re a woman living alone are all recommended for anyone, and most expats do not take many extra precautions beyond these.
Most expats use a real estate agent of some sort no matter what, especially if they don’t speak Chinese. Agencies are set up all over — just look for a small shop with pictures of various apartment complexes and prices, and you’ll find someone who will be more than willing to help you look in their area.
In all likelihood, they’ll be able to show you some apartments right away in the complex/complexes they work in. Go to a few of these agencies, but don’t get discouraged if you don’t find something right away.
You can also look at The Beijinger classifieds or the City Weekend classifieds for places to rent or ask friends for leads. In both of these cases, you may be able to side-step the agent, and so get a better price, so either is worth a shot.
Once you’ve found an apartment you like, talk to the landlord (through a translator if need be), and make sure that he/she is the type of person you can rent from; most problems arise from difficulties with your landlord, not from the place itself. From there, you and the landlord (and the agent, if that’s how you found the place) will discuss and agree upon a contract. Landlords will generally ask for at least three month’s rent right away, and one month’s rent as a deposit, so be prepared to have a lot of cash on hand.
There are several areas where expats tend to live and congregate.
Shunyi is home to those that live in villa housing, mainly the family and embassy crowds. Sanlitun is known for its foreigner party scene and also happens to be an older embassy area. Wudaokou is the student hub of Beijing; another area who's
residents have a penchant for partying. Lido has been a long-established foreigner hangout, and nearby Wangjing has seen an increase in expat living as it has grown and transformed. Chaoyang Park is another well-established expat haunt, with housing and import food stores available to satisfy most expats.
Any of these areas (and more besides) are great places to start your search for housing, but be aware that most of these will have crazy-high prices because of their popularity and their proximity to the city centre and its various amenities.
Wherever you end up, be sure that your apartment is a place you can call home. If you haven’t seen a place with that potential, chances are you haven’t looked hard enough, or in the right area. Be adventurous, and try places and complexes that you might not notice at first glance.
Almost all of the housing available in the Beijing city centre is in apartment form, and most are not exorbitantly spacious. Most expats put high priority on having an apartment with a modern kitchen (with counters, refrigerator, and storage, along with the standard sink and a stove top), and many old-style Beijing flats aren't exactly accommodating in this department.There are houses available at various villas located farther outside of the city, and these will have far more Western amenities, including yards, ovens, and possibly even a pool or a dryer.
Accommodation in Beijing may be furnished or unfurnished, and the price should reflect that fact; it’s really not guaranteed either way, and even less guaranteed is the style (or lack thereof) with which a place may be furnished. If you find yourself needing to add to your accommodation, there are various places across Beijing to buy or have furniture made, including markets and IKEA. Expat should take this into consideration before shipping every item from house and home overseas.
Pricing varies widely in Beijing:
- For a one-bedroom apartment you can expect prices to stay around 4,000 RMB per month, depending on the area.
- Two-bedroom places will jump up to 6,000 RMB per month
- Three-bedroom accommodation could set you back 9,000 RMB or more per month.
- If you decide to go the villa housing route, you’ll be looking at prices starting around 15,000 RMB (and that’s the very low end).
In general, security is not a terribly big issue for expats in Beijing. Commonsense security measures are generally enough to keep you relatively safe. Locking your doors, using a safe for your valuables, and avoiding first-floor apartments if you’re a woman living alone are all recommended for anyone, and most expats do not take many extra precautions beyond these.
Finding accommodation in Beijing
Most expats use a real estate agent of some sort no matter what, especially if they don’t speak Chinese. Agencies are set up all over — just look for a small shop with pictures of various apartment complexes and prices, and you’ll find someone who will be more than willing to help you look in their area.
In all likelihood, they’ll be able to show you some apartments right away in the complex/complexes they work in. Go to a few of these agencies, but don’t get discouraged if you don’t find something right away.You can also look at The Beijinger classifieds or the City Weekend classifieds for places to rent or ask friends for leads. In both of these cases, you may be able to side-step the agent, and so get a better price, so either is worth a shot.
Once you’ve found an apartment you like, talk to the landlord (through a translator if need be), and make sure that he/she is the type of person you can rent from; most problems arise from difficulties with your landlord, not from the place itself. From there, you and the landlord (and the agent, if that’s how you found the place) will discuss and agree upon a contract. Landlords will generally ask for at least three month’s rent right away, and one month’s rent as a deposit, so be prepared to have a lot of cash on hand.
Expat areas in Beijing
There are several areas where expats tend to live and congregate.
Shunyi is home to those that live in villa housing, mainly the family and embassy crowds. Sanlitun is known for its foreigner party scene and also happens to be an older embassy area. Wudaokou is the student hub of Beijing; another area who's
residents have a penchant for partying. Lido has been a long-established foreigner hangout, and nearby Wangjing has seen an increase in expat living as it has grown and transformed. Chaoyang Park is another well-established expat haunt, with housing and import food stores available to satisfy most expats.Any of these areas (and more besides) are great places to start your search for housing, but be aware that most of these will have crazy-high prices because of their popularity and their proximity to the city centre and its various amenities.
Wherever you end up, be sure that your apartment is a place you can call home. If you haven’t seen a place with that potential, chances are you haven’t looked hard enough, or in the right area. Be adventurous, and try places and complexes that you might not notice at first glance.
