Dongguan is a prosperous, rapidly developing city, nestled around an hour away from economic hubs, Shenzhen and Hong Kong, in the Guangdong Province.
Living in Dongguan is a rewarding experience for most expatriates. Expats and Chinese nationals from other provinces find most locals from Dongguan to be friendly and warm in general. Most Western conveniences can easily be found within walking distance. From popular toothpaste brands to Western-size and brands of clothes and make-up (H & M, Zara, Sephora, Walmart, Western movies at cinemas…), malls offer Western families most familiar comforts of home. Additionally, with the popular app, WeChat, handling cash or credit card is almost never necessary in Dongguan. The app makes a cashless society a reality. Even water and electricity can be paid through the simplicity of WeChat. Similarly, Dongguan residents enjoy the convenience of JD (China’s Amazon) and Baidu. A rich, diverse food culture combined with a low-cost of dining makes eating out a fun and regular experience. Travel is easy with bikes that cost around $0.90/month to ride jump on and leave anywhere in the city, an efficient bus system, easy to purchase small motorbikes, and reliable train system. With the Shenzhen Airport nearby, trips to popular travel destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and South Korea are easy to arrange for school holidays. While Cantonese is the local dialect, most residents speak Mandarin. If one of your family goals is to learn Mandarin, opportunity abounds.