Rocketing housing prices have made people more concerned about the housing market. Some people have even said teasingly, "Happiness starts with a house!"

According to a study by Sina.com.cn using the statistics released by the China Index Academy, a house is extremely important for Chinese people. Owning a house makes you happier and your life easier, especially in big cities such as Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

Let's take Beijing as an example. The city's average income is 8,717 yuan (US$1,324.98) a month. The price of a 100 m² flat is equal to 41.15 years of a white collar worker’s salary. Or to put it another way, a 100 m² flat can save him/her 41.15 years of hard work.

If you own a house in the following cities, you are definitely among the luckiest home owners.

 Xi'an, Shaanxi Province

Xi'an, Shaanxi Province [File photo]

Average salary: 5,765 yuan / month

The value of a 100 m² flat is equal to 9.67 years of working