Most families in Shanghai are leading a comfortable -- though not extravagant -- life on the average disposable income of 105 yuan a day, latest figures show.
The municipal statistical authority revealed Friday that Shanghai's urban residents reported 12,883 yuan (US$1,552) of per capita disposable income in 2001, or 105 yuan (US$12.65) a day for the average three-member urban family.
In Shanghai, where prices have remained stable in recent years, people can get, for 105 yuan, three kilograms of shrimps, six livechickens, 10 kilograms of pork chops, 50 kilograms of rice, 50 kilograms of vegetables or 16 kilograms of milk.
For 105 yuan, a three-member family can also choose to dine at an average Chinese restaurant or a McDonald's for a change of taste.
When spent on transport, 105 yuan means 52 trips by subway, 105 bus rides or alternatively, two family outings to the suburbs on an air-conditioned bus.
At a state-run primary school in Shanghai, 105 yuan can cover a student's tuition for two semesters or four weeks of well-cooked, nutritious lunch at school.
For 105 yuan, a student can get a school uniform, 12-month subscription to two children's newspapers or five hours with a private tutor.
For 105 yuan, a people in Shanghai can talk for seven hours on the phone, spend 35 hours on the Internet, send 1,050 short messages via mobile phone or order a five-month subscription of the evening news.
For a three-member family, the amount provides for six months, or 60 tons, of tap water or eight months, or 110 cubic meters, of natural gas.
The comfort and romance of city life are not a big deal for an average Shanghai family, who, for 105 yuan, can sip Cappuccinos, buy fashionable T-shirts or go to theaters or indoor swimming pools.
Shanghai residents, known for their business acumen, can even manage to make an investment with their limited income. Statistics show that over 90 percent of Shanghai families are buying stocks and over a half have bought apartments.
As China's largest commercial and industrial city, Shanghai has13.5 million permanent residents, or 4.5 million households.
By the end of April, Shanghai's per capita savings had surpassed 20,000 yuan (US$2,410).
(Xinhua News Agency July 15, 2002)
