American man moves to China, cuts living costs 75%: ‘One of the best decisions I ever made’

When Bradley Krae first moved to China in 2016, he never imagined the country would eventually become home. Born in California and raised across multiple American states including Arizona, Colorado, North Carolina, Virginia, Montana and Oklahoma, Krae said he never stayed in one place long enough to truly call it home.An American man explains why he prefers living in Shenzhen, China“If you’d told me back then that I’d end up in China, I would’ve laughed,” he told CNBC Make It.Today, the 36-year-old lives in Shenzhen, China with his wife and two young children — a life he describes as his own version of the “American Dream.”A one-way ticket changed everythingKrae moved to Shenzhen at the age of 27 after landing a job as an English teacher in the southern Chinese tech hub near Hong Kong.To make the move possible, he sold his car in North Carolina and used the money to buy a plane ticket. It was also his first time travelling outside the United States.Over the next four years, he explored countries across Asia, including Cambodia and Thailand. According to Krae, travelling abroad helped him “test” his courage and resilience while expanding his worldview.(Also read: ‘I’ve grown tired of the US’: American man considers moving to Delhi for a new life)Finding love and returning to ChinaKrae met his wife in Shenzhen. Born in French Polynesia to Chinese parents, she was working there as a French teacher when the two crossed paths.The couple had already spent three years in China when the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted their lives. While on holiday in the US, China’s borders shut, prompting them to relocate to Tahiti to be closer to her parents.Five years later, now parents to two children under five, they realised something was missing. “China still felt like our true home,” Krae said. The family returned to Shenzhen in June 2025.(Also read: ‘My life has changed’: American woman ls 10 transformations after moving to India)“Today, I live in Shenzhen with my wife and our two kids. Here’s why it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made,” he said, ling down several reasons why he prefers to live in China.‘I spend a fourth of what I did in America’One of the biggest advantages of living in Shenzhen, according to Krae, is the lower cost of living. The teacher-turned-influencer says he has cut living expenses 75% after moving to China.After returning to China, he resumed teaching English and earned around $4,000 a month. The family rents a three-bedroom apartment for roughly $1,000 monthly. Internet costs about $29, electricity averages $100, while groceries for the family of four come to nearly $100 a month.Eating out is also inexpensive, he said, with meals rarely costing more than $10 for the whole family. Healthcare expenses amount to around $90 a month.“All told, I’m paying about a fourth of the cost of what I used to pay for my monthly expenses when I lived in the US — and that was when I was living myself,” he said.‘It feels like living in the future’Krae described Shenzhen as a mix between Silicon Valley and New York City — but “in China.”“To me, Shenzhen is like if Silicon Valley and New York City had a ba,” he said.The city’s fast-paced tech ecosystem particularly fascinates him. Food deliveries arrive via drones within minutes, autonomous taxis operate on busy streets, and QR-code payments have largely replaced wallets and cash.He also praised the city’s public transportation system, noting that subway rides across the city cost as little as 30 cents. “Technology feels both advanced and accessible here,” he added.From teacher to influencerWhile living in Tahiti, Krae had started sharing glimpses of his life online. But it was his wife who encouraged him in 2025 to post consently on TikTok about daily life in China.The videos quickly gained traction, turning him into a social media influencer and opening up new opportunities. Eventually, he landed a full-time role as a marketing manager.Although the job pays slightly less than teaching — around $3,500 a month — Krae earns an additional $1,200 monthly through side gigs and content creation.“It’s a more traditional job than what I’m used to,” he said, “but I’m not stuck at a desk all day.”Raising children without fearFor Krae, one of the biggest reasons he prefers Shenzhen is the sense of safety it offers his family.“I have no need or desire to become a helicopter parent here,” he said. “I’m not worried about things like gun violence.”Instead, he joked that his main concern is “electric scooters flying down the sidewalks.”Krae described Shenzhen as highly family-friendly, with over 1,000 parks, numerous indoor play spaces and a wide variety of activities for children. His two kids attend a public Chinese kindergarten where they are learning Mandarin, while speaking English with him and French with their mother.The school costs around $300 per semester for both children, including meals. Krae also believes the food available in local grocery stores and schools is healthier than what he encountered in the US.“No one is more surprised than me that I’ve found my own version of the American Dream here in China,” he said.