No small wonder expats love Beijing life

Results of a recent survey revealed that Beijing is the favored city among foreigners living on the Chinese mainland, with Shanghai clinching second place.

Despite speculation and skepticism abounding online about the voting process and how results were determined, it does seem reasonable that Beijing and Shanghai would rank higher than just about anywhere else.

Shanghai has long been recognized as an international financial hub and a stylish, cosmopolitan metropolis.

Beijing's star only began climbing in more recent years however, and affords expats unique economic and lifestyle opportunities currently available to them in few other places in the world. Take it from someone who has lived in New York City and Washington DC before Beijing; the cost of living in both places - from rent to phone bills to insurance to picking up a few groceries - is astronomically high. Unless you're working some high-powered job and rolling in the dough, it can be a real stretch living paycheck-to-paycheck.

Beijing is a world apart from all that, literally and figuratively. It seems a week doesn't pass without a new store or restaurant opening. Rather than hearing friends complain about not knowing how they're going to afford their apartment or scrimping to go three hours outside town for the weekend, you hear friends talk excitedly about new business ventures they want to start in China and about vacations they're planning to Thailand and Indonesia.

There's a current of excitement that runs through life in Beijing; a sense of possibility and growth that is sorely lacking in other places right now.

I don't have children, so I'm no expert on why foreign parents would want to raise their children here. But I can see a few advantages. Again, it comes down to the money. It goes farther here than it does in Western countries, meaning families can enjoy a higher standard of living. Affordable housing, increasing amounts of quality foods and abundance of cultural opportunities for kids to learn from make Beijing an attractive city to raise children in.

A major concern that was cited in the survey was the Chinese capital's environment. Beijing has a way to go in this department. Air pollution here has been referred to as "crazy bad," such as on days when it's difficult to see a mere few meters in front of you. But there are ways to combat the effects of pollution, such as using air purifiers and humidifiers at home, and purchasing face masks that filter out much of the filth outside. Increased efforts to curb pollution in the city will only make Beijing a more attractive place to live.

Beijing boasts a growing restaurant scene that includes eateries offering food from all over the world, international grocery stores and an increasing availability of international comforts and standards. Combined with the financial and career opportunities here at the moment, it is no wonder that this is the city best suited to expat life in China.