Motor home: soaring rents in China’s big cities see Shanghai man turn car into money-saving digs
- 30-year-old says he does not want to ‘support family of a landlord’
- Vehicular home has portable power, comfy bed and ventilation system
A Shanghai man has been living in his car for the past three months, highlighting how soaring rents in major Chinese cities have become a burden for the country’s metropolitan workforces.
Wang Hong, who is in his 30s and makes “decent money” said he did not want his salary to support a landlord’s family.
Before moving into his car he was paying 3,000 yuan (US$420) a month for a room.
When Wang’s lease expired in September he did not look for another flat and transformed his small vehicle into his home.
He told the mainland media outlet Shangyou News that the vehicle fills 99 per cent of his daily needs, including keeping warm in winter.
Wang bought a portable battery to power light and heat, insulated foam sheets for a bed and a portable cooking stove. He even purchased a small ventilator to improve the air quality in his makeshift home.
The car dweller said he parks up on unused roads in suburban areas to save parking fees and does not order food deliveries because he lacks a proper address.
As for personal hygiene, in a video posted on Douyin, Wang said he sets up a tent beside his car and runs a few kilometres before having a shower using an electric pump.
All of this, he says, has not only saved him money, but improved his health.
Wang estimates he has saved more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,400) thanks to his new living arrangements. He also said he has a shorter commute to work because he strategically parks closer to the office.
According to the mainland media outlet Yicai, the rent for an average-sized room in first-tier cities in China ranged from 2,200 to 4,000 yuan per month.
Meanwhile, the median monthly salary for workers in first-tier cities was between 10,000 and 11,000 yuan, according to the latest data from Chinese recruitment platform Zhilian Zhaopin.
Wang’s story struck a chord on mainland social media.
“Not only have young people stopped buying flats, they have stopped renting,” said one online observer on Douyin.
“Living in a car is a nice idea. That way, I could live wherever I wanted,” said another person.
A third said: “I admire his optimistic attitude and his ability to live as comfortably as he could in a difficult situation. I also admire like the way he sticks to his lifestyle no matter what other people say about it.”
