Exactly right. Why would someone want to try and live on 1500 rmb a month? Certainly eating cheap and crappy Chinese restaurant and supermarket food is not good for one's health.

One reason I left China is because of the toxic air and crappy, tainted, contaminated food supply. Many people also do not know that much of China's water supply is contaminated by all of sort of toxins leaching out of landfills. Now when you think about that it's quite disgusting and makes you feel sick.

Waste management and disposal in China is nothing like the regulation and standards applied in many Australian or Canadian cities.

I know other places in Asia are also polluted but there are strategies to deal with it.

1) Live in an area near the ocean where there is a regular fairly strong sea breeze. I try to hang out in the Beach Rd/2nd Road area in Pattaya not just because I feel comfortable there but because the area from Soi 7 to Soi 13 has clean air thanks to the strong sea breeze. I go to a place called "Windy Bar" near the foreshore, no prizes for guessing how it got that name.

2) Get to know bar and cafe and restaurant owners in your area. If they use high quality produce and have clean kitchens you should frequent those places. Many places that are genuine will let you check their kitchen hygiene on a regular basis.

3) Mix with ex-pats who have a good sense of humor and like to have a good time. Avoid boring straight-laced individuals who think they are morally superior to others ( several posters on this board fall into this category )

Never marry a local woman or have a long term GF if you are an Asian ex-pat ( especially not in China, probably not even in Thailand ) This will also shorten a Western man's life. You did not move to Asia to be in a monogamous relationship FFS! Variety is the spice of life. Bang different women on a fairly regular basis. It's good for health. A GF? No more than two months max.

4) Contrary to popular belief, drinking beer with your buddies/mates on a regular basis is not bad for health. Socializing is good for health.

Now there is plenty of beer with no preservatives and very low fat content/carbs. Having five or six of these beers each day is not harmful. A bottle of ( high quality ) red wine three times a week is also good.

5) A no-brainer this one: Keep away from Asian people involved in education. People involved in Asia's "education industry" are low lives and the scum of the earth as we well know.

Keep away from Asian women who are teachers if you are an ex-pat, even more so if they have a kid. RUN!

6) The local prostitutes/bar girls always know where the good ( clean, healthy ) street food is. The Soi 7 girls in Pattaya taught me this. Become friendly with hookers, you'll learn a hell of a lot more from them than from any "regular" gals.

7) Make sure you have a local luxury taxi driver in your good books if you ever need to make a quick getaway to the nearest international airport. The West sucks now, but your home city can be a safe bolt hole for you if need be.

Electronic credit/debit card theft is rife in Asia and many other places. Do not think your cards are safe just because they are secure in your pocket or hand luggage at an airport or on a plane. They are not. Anyone with a scanner can steal your credit card details and your money as long as they are within 5 matres of you. ( and identity ) in a microsecond. Get "Skim Guard" which blocks malevolent RFID signals and protects your data. I found out about this on TVSN ( Ch 14 ) in Australia. I've got Skim Guard. It also protects E-passports ( passport protector ) and some driver licences that contain a chip.