[newbie12]

Yeah but you obviously have a doctorate and commensurate experience to get hired. With respect to local hiring, I'm sure making less than what you'd earn in Seattle or San Jose is ok, but it isn't the high life that the OP was talking about.

[seanmcdirmid]

The high life is a myth, but I'm not starving. The fact that I can take a taxi to work everyday and not own a car has some savings also.

It would be really hard to get hired out of college into a tech job overseas. But with 3-4 years experience in San Jose, you could transfer to Beijing fairly easily, though as a LHF, not an expat. To get an expat package, you need to be a big shot.