ABOUT 40 percent of people surveyed by a local news portal chose to leave Shenzhen because they couldn’t afford an apartment in the city, sznews.com reported yesterday.

    The qq.com survey also found that another 12 percent are also considering leaving the city because of the high cost of living when compared with income.

    The prices of both new and pre-owned homes have been rising in recent months after the government eases property loan and tax rules in March. Home prices in Shekou, which is part of the just-launched Guangdong Free Trade Zone, rose up to 20 percent in one month.

    A woman surnamed Jiang came to work in Shenzhen from her hometown in Hunan Province. She recently bought a three-bedroom apartment in Shenzhen and lives with her husband, child and her parents.

    “I can’t say for sure that I will stay here forever. Maybe I will sell my apartment and go back to my hometown one day,” said Jiang. “After all, it is stressful to live in Shenzhen,” she said.

    Shenzhen is a migrant city with a population of more than 10 million, however, only about 3 million residents possess Shenzhen hukou, permanent residence permits.

    Common reasons for leaving Shenzhen include heavy workload, difficulty securing a child’s education, the need to take care of parents in their hometowns and air pollution, according to the survey.

    The survey also found that 24 percent of people are willing to live in rented apartments in Shenzhen for more than 10 years.

    A young worker, surnamed Wu, said she wouldn’t leave the city because she believes she will be able to buy a home in the future. “I am confident about my future, so I will stay. In fact, it is quite good to rent an apartment except for the trouble of moving around,” said Wu.

    People choose to stay in Shenzhen for a variety of reasons including job opportunities, an inclusive culture in the city and a fair job market.

    A programmer, surnamed Zhou, works in the high-tech park in Nanshan District and usually leaves the office at 11 p.m. each night. Although he earns more than 10,000 yuan (US$1,613) a month, he said he can’t save much money because he has to pay rent and send money back to his parents.

    “It is not realistic to return to my hometown. I have to stay here to make a living,” said Zhou.

    (Luo Songsong)