College student's demand for higher living expenses sparks debate

A recent online post about a female college student asking for 4,500 yuan ($630.16) for monthly living expenses has ignited public debate on how much a student really needs for college life, and most believed that demand is too much.

According to the post, the new college student said her school is in a new top-tier city and complained her mother gave her too little, 2,000 yuan, as she had to eat in the school canteen through the end of the month.

She explained the expenses included skin care products and new clothes, and that her roommates used good products too, but her mother refused to give her the 4,500 yuan.

She said spending on after-school classes exceeded 4,000 yuan a month during high school, and her mother gave it without the least hesitation, while now her tuition and accommodation fees reached 30,000 yuan a year in college.

"Is 2,000 yuan enough for a student's life in college" soon became a hot topic on the list of top trending searches Wednesday since the new semester started this fall.

Some internet users shared their living expenses, and except for some outliers, most ranged from 1,000 to 2,000 yuan a month. Some questioned whether the female student could even earn 4,500 yuan after graduation.

Some internet users have pointed out that a student's spending should depend on the family's financial situation, and they should learn about how to manage their money.

According to a survey from Chengdu-based Red Star News, students from colleges in the city, such as Sichuan University, Chengdu University and Sichuan Conservatory of Music, had expenses ranging from 1,500 to 2,000 yuan.

Data from Wacai, an app focusing on financial advice, showed that students in 15 cities spent over 1,500 yuan a month on average, topped by Beijing at 2,400 yuan, Shanghai at 2,300 yuan, and Hangzhou at 2,250 yuan.