Setting up utilities

What's included with the apartment

Most furnished rentals come with electricity, water and gas accounts already opened in the landlord's or building's name. You pay through:

• The building management's app (a WeChat mini-programme tied to your apartment number).
• Direct on the utility company's app (State Grid for electricity, China Telecom / Unicom / Mobile for telecom).
• Alipay's utility-payment mini-programme — covers most cities and most utilities.

Confirm at move-in that the landlord has registered you on the utility apps; otherwise the bills go to the wrong person.

Electricity

State Grid Corp manages most of the country. Per-kWh rate ¥0.5–¥0.8 depending on city and consumption tier. A typical 80 m² apartment in summer (with AC running) consumes ~600 kWh/month — about ¥350. Winter heating in northern central-heating zones is bundled into a building service fee, not the electricity bill.

Water

Per-cubic-metre rates ¥3–¥7 depending on city. Typical household consumption 6–12 m³/month — about ¥30–¥80.

Gas

Used for cooking and (in some apartments) hot water. Per cubic metre ¥3–¥5. Typical consumption 5–15 m³/month — about ¥20–¥80.

Internet

Three providers: China Telecom (most reliable in southern cities), China Unicom (most reliable in northern cities), China Mobile (often the cheapest, mid-range speeds). Fibre is universal in apartment buildings. Plans:

• 100 Mbps ¥80–¥120/month
• 300 Mbps ¥120–¥180/month
• 500 Mbps – 1 Gbps ¥180–¥250/month

The plan is tied to a building, not always portable. The contract is typically 12 or 24 months. Bundling with your mobile plan reduces the price by ¥20–¥50/month.

Building management fee (物业费)

A separate monthly charge for shared services: lifts, security, gardening, common area cleaning, central heating in northern buildings, sometimes water provision. ¥3–¥10 per m² per month. Paid via the building management app.

Mobile

Already covered in the SIM-cards page. ¥50–¥200/month. Most expats use the same provider for mobile and home internet for the bundle discount.

What to do if a payment fails

Utility apps are bilingual or near-bilingual in tier-1 cities; less so elsewhere. The landlord or building management is the first contact for any payment-flow problem. Avoid letting bills lapse — late payment by even a few days can trigger service interruption (especially for water).