I work every day and make a little under 24,000 RMB a month. That's 3,840 dollars. My rent is 2200 a month and that's my biggest non discretionary expense. I spend max 1000 a month on the metro and taxis and maybe 1000 each a week on alcohol and overpriced food and coffee. That's under 12000. This is with me cooking less since I came to Shanghai than I did in the average week at home. And if you're not a boozehound you can save even more.

And if you don't, strictly speaking, have enough money to set yourself up once you get over here you can get free accomodation by trading English tuition for accomodation. Normally kids and I've never had an extended conversation about it with anyone who's done it but I've met people who did it. And if the family you start with are shit there are plenty of others.