As a child, I moved around a lot. I was born in California but have lived in Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia, Montana, and Oklahoma. For a long time, I didn’t have the opportunity to call anywhere “home.” So if you had told me back then that I would end up going to China, I would have laughed.
I visited China for the first time in 2016. I was 27 years old and took a job as an English teacher in Shenzhen, a burgeoning tech hub just across the border from Hong Kong. I sold my car and used the money to buy a plane ticket from North Carolina. I had never been outside of America before.
Living in Asia for the next four years gave me the opportunity to travel to places like Cambodia and Thailand. I loved traveling. Because it was a profound opportunity to test my courage and resilience, find meaning, and expand my worldview.
Currently, I live in Shenzhen with my wife and two children. This is why this is one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
1. I met my wife and started a family
My wife was born in Tahiti and her parents are from China. She was working here as a French teacher when we met.
We had been living in China for three years and were on vacation in the US when the pandemic hit. With the borders closed, my wife and I decided to move to Tahiti to be closer to her parents.
Five years later, we now have two children under the age of five. There were things I liked about living in Tahiti, but something was missing. We returned to Shenzhen in June 2025, feeling that China still is our true home.
My children are playing in Shenzhen Talent Park.
Photo: Bradley Clay
I am still very grateful for my first teaching job. The landing was kind of an accident, but if it hadn’t happened, I wouldn’t have my family or the life I have now.
2. I spend less money than I do in America.
After returning to Shenzhen in 2025, I continued my career as an English teacher with a monthly income of approximately $4,000.
We rent a 3-bedroom apartment for about $1,000 a month. Internet costs about $29 and electricity costs an average of $100.
We spend about $100 a month on groceries for our family of four. When I go out to eat, I rarely spend more than $10 in total. I also pay about $90 a month in medical expenses.
My wife and I enjoy going out at night.
Photo: Bradley Clay
All in all, I’m paying about a quarter of the monthly expenses I was paying when I lived in the US, when I lived alone.
3. I feel like I’m living in the future.
To me, Shenzhen is like Silicon Valley and New York City having a baby in China. This is a vibrant tech hub with surprises around every corner.
Walking around the streets of Shenzhen, you can find many surprises.
Photo: Bradley Clay
Flying drones deliver food within 15 minutes, and self-driving taxis ply the neon-lit streets. There’s a real cyberpunk energy here.
Shenzhen is one of the most vibrant places I’ve ever called home.
Photo: CNBC Make It
Public transportation is also available. The subway goes everywhere and builds lines very quickly and efficiently. You can ride the subway throughout the city for about $0.30.
I generally don’t carry my wallet or keys with me. If you need to pay for something, use your mobile phone, scan a QR code, or use biometrics such as a bill. It’s very convenient.
Technology here feels advanced yet accessible.
Photo: CNBC Make It
4. My job is flexible and well paid.
When I lived in Tahiti, I also taught English and made some videos about it. But in 2025, my wife suggested that I start posting consistently on TikTok to let people know what life is like in China.
I opened an account, my videos became popular, and before I knew it, I had become something of an influencer. This opened up more opportunities for me and I was able to get a full-time job as a marketing manager in February.
I always missed China when I lived elsewhere. I’m glad to be back.
Photo: Bradley Clay
This is a more traditional job than what I’m used to, and the pay is a little less than a teaching job. I now make nearly $3,500 a month, plus about $1,200 a month from my side hustle.
But I’m not glued to my desk all day. My company has flexible hours, which gives me time to pursue other side jobs and interests, and allows me to take work home with me.
5. I feel like I can raise my children with peace of mind here.
Shenzhen is very family-friendly and has lots of activities for kids. The city has over 1,000 parks, thousands of indoor playgrounds, and a wide range of community activities for families.
There are lots of fun activities for kids here.
Photo: Bradley Clay
There is no need or desire to be a helicopter parent here. We don’t have to worry about gun violence or anything like that. My biggest safety concern is electric scooters flying down the sidewalk.
My children are also growing up trilingual. My wife speaks French with them, they speak English with me, and they are studying Chinese at their school, a public kindergarten in China. It costs about $300 per semester for two children, including food.
Shenzhen is very walkable and has good public transportation.
Photo: CNBC Make It
Overall, we also found that our children’s school meals and the meals available at local grocery stores were much healthier than what we found in the United States.
No one is more surprised than me that I found my version of the American Dream here in China.
Bradley Krae is a writer, content creator, and marketing manager. He lives in Shenzhen, China, with his wife and two children.
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