For a young Vietnamese person who moves to Chongqing to study at university, learn Chinese or pursue a professional qualification, and later decides to stay in China to find a job and build an independent life, what might come as a surprise?

It may not be the famous landmarks or high-rise buildings. The real differences are often found in everyday experiences: getting around the city, finding accommodation, ordering food, making payments, adapting to the climate, communicating with local people, working with colleagues and managing your own daily life.

Chongqing has its own rhythm and character. Located around the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, the city has developed across a hilly landscape, creating steep roads, elevated bridges, tunnels and neighbourhoods at different levels.

By the end of 2025, Chongqing had a permanent resident population of approximately 31.87 million, with 73.02% living in urban areas. In 2025, the city's GDP reached approximately RMB 3.3758 trillion, representing year-on-year growth of 5.3%.

These figures show that Chongqing is not simply a destination for students. For young people who want to study, gain professional experience and potentially build a career in China, it is also a city worth understanding.

1. THE FIRST THING TO GET USED TO: CHONGQING IS NOT A FLAT CITY

For people who have previously lived in relatively flat cities such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, Chongqing's urban layout may initially feel unusual.

Two places that look close on a map may take considerably longer to reach on foot because you may have to walk uphill or downhill, cross a bridge or take a tunnel.

A metro station may also be located at a considerably different elevation from the roads and residential areas around it.

This is one reason why photographs of Chongqing often show buildings and roads appearing to overlap across several levels.

For newcomers, it is useful to look beyond the street address and check the building level, metro station exit and actual walking route.

After some time, what initially seems complicated simply becomes part of everyday life.

2. GETTING AROUND: METRO, BUSES AND A CITY SHAPED BY ITS TERRAIN

Public transport plays an important role in daily life in Chongqing.

At the beginning of 2025, Chongqing's urban rail network had reached 575 kilometres of operational lines. By October 2025, the network had expanded to 582 kilometres, with 332 stations. Further expansion is continuing.

In 2025, the operational urban rail network in the central urban area alone reached approximately 529.6 kilometres, connecting residential areas, universities, commercial districts and transport hubs.

This matters both to students and working people.

When choosing where to live, simply looking at the distance between your accommodation and your university or workplace is not enough.

It is worth considering how many minutes you need to walk to the metro, how many transfers are required and which station exit you should use.

For newcomers, remembering the nearest stations to home, university and workplace — as well as the most convenient exits — can make everyday travel much easier.

3. CLIMATE: HOT, HUMID AND OFTEN CLOUDY

The climate is another feature that Vietnamese residents may notice quite clearly.

Chongqing has a humid subtropical monsoon climate. Summers are hot, rainfall is relatively high and humidity is often significant. Cloudy weather, mist and fog are also part of the city's climate.

According to information from the Chongqing municipal government, the average annual temperature is approximately 17.7°C, average annual rainfall is around 1,136.5 mm and average relative humidity is approximately 79.9%.

Summer can feel particularly humid and uncomfortable.

Winter, meanwhile, is not necessarily as cold as in northern Chinese cities, but high humidity can make the weather feel colder than the temperature itself suggests, especially on days with little sunshine.

When preparing for life in Chongqing, therefore, it is worth considering not only winter clothing but also rainwear, footwear suitable for humid conditions and practical ways of drying clothes.

4. FOOD: GETTING USED TO CHONGQING CUISINE

It is difficult to talk about Chongqing without mentioning spicy food.

Chongqing hotpot is an important part of local food culture. Other popular dishes include Chongqing xiaomian and a wide range of dishes featuring chilli, Sichuan pepper and other spices.

For newcomers, the adjustment is not simply about how spicy the food is.

It also involves the use of chilli, chilli oil and Sichuan pepper, as well as the social style of sharing food around a table.

Of course, not every dish in Chongqing is spicy. In many restaurants, you can request a lower level of spiciness or choose dishes that better suit your preferences.

For someone starting life in China, learning a few simple Chinese phrases related to food can be more useful than simply memorising the names of dishes.

For example:

No chilli, please: 不要辣 – Bú yào là
Less spicy, please: 少辣 – Shǎo là
No coriander, please: 不要香菜 – Bú yào xiāngcài
I cannot eat spicy food: 我不能吃辣 – Wǒ bù néng chī là

These simple phrases can make everyday situations much easier.

5. LIVING COSTS: THERE IS NO SINGLE FIGURE THAT APPLIES TO EVERYONE

The cost of living in Chongqing varies considerably depending on where you live, the type of accommodation you choose, how you eat and how you travel.

Market data for December 2025 put the average residential rental price in Chongqing at around RMB 23.98 per square metre per month. However, this is a general market indicator and should not be treated as a fixed budget for students or working professionals.

It is more useful to divide your budget into separate categories:

Expense	What to consider
Accommodation	University dormitory or private rental
Food	University canteen, restaurants or cooking
Transport	Metro, buses, taxis and ride-hailing
Utilities	Electricity, water and gas
Communications	Mobile phone and internet
Personal necessities	Toiletries, laundry and everyday medicines
Leisure	Cafés, shopping, films and weekend activities

For students, university accommodation can help reduce housing costs where it is available.

For working professionals, however, it may make sense to consider commuting time as well as rent. A slightly more expensive property near the workplace or a metro station may save considerable time every day.

6. CASHLESS PAYMENTS ARE PART OF EVERYDAY LIFE

When moving to China, getting used to electronic payments is an important part of settling into daily life.

Food, ride-hailing, shopping and many other services can be paid for using a smartphone and QR codes.

For international students and young professionals, setting up a suitable smartphone, payment services and essential applications is therefore part of preparing for everyday life, alongside finding accommodation and completing university or employment-related procedures.

7. LANGUAGE: KNOWING MANDARIN DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN YOU WILL UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING

Standard Mandarin is used in education, administration and professional environments in Chongqing.

However, local people may use pronunciation and speech patterns associated with the Chongqing region in everyday conversation.

For students who have only recently started learning Chinese, understanding local conversations can therefore be more difficult than understanding a teacher in the classroom.

This is a normal part of adapting to a new linguistic environment.

Rather than trying to understand everything immediately, it can be more practical to gradually learn expressions that are repeatedly used in everyday situations — in restaurants, shops, university accommodation, classrooms and workplaces.

Over time, repeated exposure to these situations naturally improves listening and communication skills.

8. FROM STUDYING TO WORKING: WHAT CAREER AREAS ARE RELEVANT IN CHONGQING?

Students considering staying in China after graduation may benefit from understanding the local labour market while they are still studying.

Chongqing has a substantial industrial base.

In 2025, the city's industrial added value reached approximately RMB 904.994 billion, an increase of 5.7% year on year. Among industrial enterprises above the designated size, automobile manufacturing grew by 12.6%, motorcycle manufacturing by 18.4% and equipment manufacturing by 8.5%. Electronics, materials, electrical equipment and smart manufacturing are also significant parts of the city's industrial structure.

In 2025, Chongqing produced approximately 2.79 million vehicles, including around 1.30 million new-energy vehicles. Integrated circuit production increased by 47.2%, while industrial robot production increased by 27%.

This industrial environment may be relevant to people studying or specialising in areas such as:

Mechanical engineering and manufacturing
Automotive engineering
Electrical and electronics
Information technology
Automation
Robotics and smart manufacturing
Logistics and supply chain management
International trade
Chinese language and international communication

The service sector is also an important part of the city's economy. In 2025, services accounted for 58.8% of Chongqing's GDP.

Therefore, graduates in Chinese language, economics, commerce and service-related fields do not necessarily have to limit their career options to manufacturing.

9. GRADUATING FROM A CHINESE UNIVERSITY DOES NOT AUTOMATICALLY GIVE YOU THE RIGHT TO WORK IN CHINA

This is an important point for students considering a long-term future in China.

Student status and foreign-worker status are legally different.

According to guidance from China's National Immigration Administration, international students holding a residence permit for study who wish to undertake off-campus internships or work-study activities need approval from their educational institution and must complete the relevant procedures to have the required information recorded on their residence permit.

For formal employment, foreign nationals must comply with China's regulations concerning work permits and residence permits for employment.

The Chinese government's guidance for foreign nationals working in China states that foreigners working legally in China require a work permit. Those working for more than 90 days generally need to follow the relevant procedures for a Z visa and a residence permit for employment.

There are policies that can facilitate employment for certain international graduates from Chinese universities who meet relevant educational and professional requirements. However, whether a graduate can legally transition into employment status depends on their individual circumstances, employer, position and the regulations in force at the time.

Chongqing has also introduced policies to attract and support university graduates and young people seeking employment or starting businesses in the city. In 2025, the city set a target of supporting 400,000 graduates and young people to work or start businesses in Chongqing, including 60,000 people coming from outside the municipality.

Therefore, for anyone planning to study in China and later work in Chongqing, academic specialisation, Chinese-language ability, professional skills and knowledge of employment regulations should be considered together from the beginning.

10. WORKING LIFE IS DIFFERENT FROM STUDENT LIFE

As a student, daily life may revolve around classes, the library, university accommodation and friends.

Once you start working, the rhythm changes.

You may need to pay attention to:

Commuting time
Employment contracts
Take-home pay
Social insurance
Individual income tax
Communication with managers and colleagues
Work targets
Meetings
Professional communication in Chinese

According to Chinese government guidance, foreign nationals legally employed in China are subject to the relevant social insurance system, with employers responsible for completing the required procedures.

The Chinese language required at work can also be different from the language used in the classroom.

You may be able to read documents well but still need time to become comfortable with meetings, progress reports, internal messages, emails and handling unexpected situations at work.

11. LIFE AFTER WORK: CHONGQING IS NOT ONLY ABOUT STUDYING AND WORKING

Life in Chongqing does not end when the working day or classes finish.

Young people may meet friends for dinner, have tea, go shopping, exercise or simply walk around the city.

The city's unusual terrain creates areas with very different atmospheres: modern commercial districts, residential neighbourhoods, steep streets and riverside areas.

For someone who has just arrived, learning the entire city is not necessary. It may be more useful to become familiar with the supermarket, restaurant, pharmacy, gym and metro station around your home.

After several months, these small places often become part of your own personal map of the city.

12. THINGS THAT MAY SURPRISE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE WHEN THEY FIRST ARRIVE

Everyone experiences a new city differently, but some differences are relatively easy to notice.

First is the terrain.

Walking 1–2 kilometres in Chongqing does not necessarily feel the same as walking the same distance in a flat city.

Second is the climate.

High humidity and long periods of cloudy weather may take some time to get used to.

Third is the food.

Spicy food is common, but not every dish is spicy, and the level of spiciness can often be adjusted.

Fourth is language.

The Chinese you learn from textbooks and the Chinese you hear in everyday life are not always identical.

Fifth is the pace of urban life.

The city is large and its transport network is complex, so choosing accommodation that works well for your university or workplace can have a direct impact on how much time you spend travelling each day.

These differences are not necessarily advantages or disadvantages. They are simply aspects of the environment that are useful to understand before settling into life there.

13. WHO MIGHT FIND CHONGQING A GOOD FIT?

Chongqing may appeal to young people who want to live in a large city with established industrial, technology and service sectors while also experiencing a distinctive local culture and lifestyle.

For international students, the city can be considered from the perspectives of education, living costs and cultural experience.

For graduates planning their next step, another question becomes important:

“How does my field of study connect with Chongqing's labour market?”

For people who have already started working, priorities may shift towards:

income, accommodation, commuting time, workplace environment and career development.

There is therefore no single answer as to whether Chongqing is suitable for everyone. Each person arrives with different reasons, studies a different subject and has different plans for the future.

14. FROM INTERNATIONAL STUDENT TO YOUNG PROFESSIONAL IN CHONGQING

Looking at the entire journey from arriving in China to graduating, finding a job and building an independent life, the process can be viewed as:

Arriving in China → finding accommodation → getting used to the transport system → studying → using Chinese in everyday life → building relationships → learning about the job market → finding suitable employment → completing the relevant employment procedures → starting work → building an independent life.

Not every stage will be straightforward.

At the same time, the differences encountered at the beginning do not necessarily need to be viewed as obstacles.

As you gradually understand Chongqing's terrain, climate, transport, food culture, language and working environment, everyday life becomes easier to navigate.

Living abroad does not mean having to become exactly like a local person.

What matters is understanding the place where you live and being able to study, work and build your own life within that environment.

For young people considering studying or working in Chongqing, that may be the most practical place to start.

CHONGQING: LIFESTYLE, LIVING COSTS AND WHAT TO KNOW BEFORE STUDYING AND WORKING IN CHINA