The rules of the road.

Last updated: August 21, 2026

Acceptance of terms

These Terms of Service govern your access to and use of Living Cost Laboratory (livingcostlaboratory.com) and all content, tools, and services provided through it. By visiting any page on this site, you accept these terms in full. If you disagree with any part, your only remedy is to stop using the site.

What this site is and is not

Living Cost Laboratory is an independent publication that collects publicly available information about Chinese city living costs, organizes it into original analytical frameworks, and adds personal observation and context. Everything here is general information for curious readers, not professional advice. For the full limitations, see the Disclaimer and Methodology pages.

Intellectual property

All content on this site — including text, data frameworks, original analysis, photographs, charts, calculators, and source code — is the intellectual property of Living Cost Laboratory and its author, Lin Hai, unless otherwise credited.

What you may do

• Read, browse, and share links to any page for personal, non-commercial purposes.
• Quote brief excerpts (up to 150 words) with clear attribution and a link back to the original page.
• Use the calculators and tools for your own relocation planning.

What you may not do

• Scrape, copy, mirror, or systematically download the site's content using automated tools, bots, or scripts.
• Reproduce, republish, or redistribute full articles, frameworks, or data tables on another website, app, or publication without written permission.
• Use the content for commercial purposes — including but not limited to paid relocation guides, subscription newsletters, or data products — without a license.
• Remove or alter copyright notices, author attribution, or source citations.
• Use the site's content to train, fine-tune, or test generative AI models, large language models, or machine-learning systems without explicit written consent.

User conduct

You agree not to use this site in any way that:

• Violates any applicable law or regulation.
• Impersonates the author, the site, or any third party.
• Interferes with the site's operation, security, or availability — including denial-of-service attacks, vulnerability probing, or excessive automated requests.
• Submits false or misleading information through the contact page or any other channel.

User-generated content

If you submit corrections, suggestions, or other feedback through the contact page, you grant Living Cost Laboratory a non-exclusive, royalty-free, perpetual license to use, modify, and incorporate that feedback into the site's content. You represent that you have the right to submit it and that it does not violate anyone else's rights.

Third-party links and embedded content

This site links to external sources, tools, and services. These links are provided for reference and convenience. Living Cost Laboratory does not control, endorse, or assume responsibility for the content, accuracy, or practices of any third-party site. Your use of external links is at your own risk and subject to those sites' own terms.

Calculators and tools

The calculators and interactive tools on this site run on publicly sourced data and original formulas. They are provided as-is for estimation purposes only. Results depend on inputs you provide and on data that may be incomplete, outdated, or specific to certain assumptions. Do not use these tools as the sole basis for financial, relocation, or investment decisions.

Limitation of liability

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Living Cost Laboratory and Lin Hai shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of or inability to use this site, even if advised of the possibility of such damages. This includes damages related to:

• Reliance on any cost figure, estimate, or analysis published here.
• Errors, omissions, or delays in content.
• Technical failures, data loss, or security breaches beyond reasonable control.

No warranty

This site and all content are provided on an "as is" and "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied. Living Cost Laboratory does not warrant that the site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of harmful components.

Termination

Living Cost Laboratory reserves the right to restrict or terminate access to the site for any user who violates these terms, without notice or liability.

Changes to these terms

These terms may be updated from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect the most recent revision. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised terms. Material changes will be noted here for at least 30 days.

Governing law and disputes

These terms are governed by the laws of the People's Republic of China, without regard to conflict-of-law principles. Any dispute arising from these terms or your use of the site shall first be addressed through good-faith correspondence. If unresolved, disputes shall be submitted to the competent courts of Dalian, Liaoning Province, China.

Because this site serves an international readership, nothing in these terms prevents you from seeking remedies available under the consumer protection or privacy laws of your own jurisdiction where those laws grant you rights that cannot be waived by contract.

Contact

If you have questions about these terms, or if you wish to request permission for a use not covered above, you can reach the author through the contact page.