城市生活成本

zài在běi jīng北京shēng huó生活de的dì第yī一nián年，wǒ我jī hū几乎měi每gè个yuè月dōu都huā花guāng光gōng zī工资。

In my first year in Beijing I spent almost my whole salary every month.

fáng zū房租zhàn占le了wǒ我shōu rù收入de的yī bàn一半，shèng xià剩下de的qián钱yào要chī fàn吃饭、zuò坐chē车、jiāo交diàn huà电话fèi费。

Rent took half my income; the rest went on food, transport and phone bills.

hòu lái后来wǒ我bǎ把měi每gè个yuè月de的huā fèi花费xiě写xià lai下来，cái才fā xiàn发现zuì最huā花qián钱de的bù不shì是fáng zū房租，ér shì而是wài mài外卖hé和dǎ chē打车。

Later I wrote down what I spent each month and realised the biggest cost was not rent but takeaway food and taxis.

wǒ我kāi shǐ开始zì jǐ自己zuò fàn做饭，měi每tiān天dài带fàn饭qù去gōng sī公司。

I started cooking for myself and taking lunch to the office every day.

yī一nián年xià lai下来，wǒ我cún存xià下le了yī一bǐ笔qián钱，yě也huì会zuò做jǐ几dào道cài菜le了。

Over the year I saved some money — and can cook a few dishes too.

dà大chéng shì城市de的jī huì机会duō多，dàn shì但是shēng huó生活chéng běn成本què shí确实gāo高。

Big cities offer more opportunities, but the cost of living really is high.

wǒ我jué de觉得nián qīng年轻rén人bù bì不必wèi le为了shǎo少huā花qián钱guò过dé得bù不kāi xīn开心，xiān先nòng弄qīng chu清楚qián钱huā花zài在nǎ r哪儿gèng更zhòng yào重要。

I think young people need not make themselves unhappy just to spend less; knowing where the money goes matters more.