I guess you have been reading the other recent notes. The big modern cities are more expensive than the others. I find it incredibly cheap here, just like the south Phillipines. If you have to leave will you have enough money with you? If you are not paid do you have enough money with you? Count on the unexpected. In one month I spend less than $200 but everybody is different. Western products like instant coffee are more expensive here. A chocolate bar can cost $1 US but rice is really cheap as are vegetables and eggs, pork, tofu, noodles, dumplings etc. The bus in Changsha costs 1 yuan or 1/8th of a US dollar. Hong Kong is very expensive..nothing like other China cities.