The only thing that was cheap in China was food and counterfeit products.
Fuel and medicine are at market prices.
The average Chinaman makes about 3000 Yuan a month. About $80.00 US. There are many who make more, and they are the progeny of the intelligentsia, and government officials.
I got into an argument with my Chinese counterparts about good engineering practices when I blew a gasket on them and told them not to talk to me about good engineering practices. While we were putting men on the moon they were making pig iron using cow $h!t for fuel in the end neither one were good for anything.
I have a friend currently in China teaching English.
She and her roommate have a 2/2 with patio for about $20 US a month.
Her roommate makes $.75 US per hour, all other expenses are within the a normal ratio.
So that’s my experience, yours is really very different.
My husband works with Chinese nationals at his job in the US, and their education is equal to the people at his job.
So there must be great disparity in the country.