Your City Match: Qingdao

  Population: 9.2 million

  Average Wage: $11,971/year

  Air Quality Index: 57 (Moderate)

  Migrant Percentage: 26.7%

Situated on the coast of the Yellow Sea, Qingdao is not only a port city but also home to some of China’s most recognizable brands. As one of the first ports in China to automate terminals, Qingdao handled about 800,000 TEU of cargo in 2017 and is now the world’s seventh-largest port. The city also brews the globally recognized Tsingtao beer, which was first started in 1903 by German settlers. In addition to Tsingtao, Haier and Hisense, both among the world’s largest manufacturers of white goods and electronics, also call Qingdao home. All these companies offer employment opportunities for migrants.

Qingdao also has a storied history of foreign occupation. From 1897 to 1914, the city was a German colony before Japan occupied it until 1922. That history left the city with many buildings influenced by German and Japanese architecture, including the St. Michaels Cathedral. Qingdao started to build a subway system in recent years and now has three lines in operation. One well-regarded social event in the city is the annual International Beer Festival, accompanied by performances, live music, and beer tastings.