Don't know what kind of expat bubble you're living in but.....
I dont live in a bubble, regardless of how condescending you try to be. I've lived in Shanghai for 3 years, and have worked here for nearly 10. And before that I was coming here for family (my wife of 15 years is Chinese). I've been coming to China more times than I can count since 1995, burning up an entire US expanded passport in less than 1 and a half years during one stint.
You know those Expat compounds where you feel as if you are in suburban America? You know, no Chinese people or Chinese language anywhere? I dont live there. I live in a 99.99% Chinese area. I know of one single other foreigner living in my compound. I have a very good feel for how the locals live here. There's 25 towers in my compound, most over 20 stories. What's in the parking garage? BMW's, Mercedes, Audi's, Porches, and even H2's. No Chinese cars at all. The prices in the local food market are very high. $8 for a box of cereal that's 1/3rd the size you'd find back in the US. Who shops here? Everyone in the neighborhood.
Come by Jinxiu Lu at night on a Friday or Saturday and watch the locals blast down the road in their Ferrari's and Lamborghini's. They do it all the time, winding those engines out like they are an F1 racer. One day someone is going to get killed and I'll have a 12th floor view of the mess.
Sure you can find service people who make barely nothing. That's not mainstream anymore. In 1995 and earlier it was, not now. Anyone with a college education and a real job in Shanghai is making good money. A chemist at my company, younger than me with half the career that I have carries around a $3000 French purse. Another chemist, more in line with my level of experience bought her THIRD house last year, before the government stopped such things.
China is an incredibly diverse country. Way so more than the US for sure. Some are poor. Some make money but save like my grand mother, and some splurge like crazy. There are a LOT of people who spend a LOT of money here.
Now, to bring this back on topic. I just bought my first ever roll of slide film. 25 years taking pictures, I never once shot a roll of slide. Now I want to try it. I bought 20 rolls of Acros today and 1 roll of Provia. We'll see how it goes.
EDIT: I just found an interest stat (from 2011) about Shanghai:
"The average price of Shanghai’s new homes shot to a seven-month high of more than 24,000 yuan (US$3,626) per square meters last week even as the government reiterated that it will still continue to tame prices despite unveiling policies that don’t seem to be working."
For those poor at math, that's $362,600 for a 100 sq meter home. The home I rent is 220 sq meters. Every unit in my building, and most buildings in my area are at least 150 sq meters.
http://cnbusinessnews.com/new-home-average-price-rises-in-shanghai/#axzz25JAoypqI
