Young Chinese Leave 22 Million-Person Beijing as High Costs and Weak Jobs Redefine Success

3 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Jul 16

Posts under the “escaping Beijing” hashtag show more young Chinese deciding to leave the capital, saying rent, dating, travel and daily living costs no longer match their pay.
Beijing’s pull has weakened as China’s slowdown, the property-sector crisis and the pandemic hit confidence, curbed spending and tightened the job market that once drew migrants to the city.
Wang Lei, 29, moved to Beijing in 2020 for real estate work but quit as the sector slumped; he now freelances and co-owns a bar, yet still sees heavy financial stress around him.
That pressure is also feeding a broader rejection of China’s “996” grind, with more young people embracing “lying flat” and treating a sustainable life outside top-tier cities as success.

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