American moved to China, pays $278 a month in rent for a 3-bedroom apartment — take a look inside

Nbcwashington · 🇺🇸 public United States · Jul 15, 2025 · 870 words · By Celia Fernandez; CNBC

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What to know about American moved to China, pays $278 a month in rent for a 3-bedroom apartment — take a look inside

At 30 years old, Alesse Lightyear decided it was time to leave New York City and her job in reality TV production.

Claims checked 14

Techniques found 0

Topics 0

Coverage spectrum

Coverage gap: Low Right coverage

Left20%

Center80%

Right0%

5 sources compared across this story cluster. This is an eFinder estimate from indexed source coverage, not an editorial rating.

What happened

At 30 years old, Alesse Lightyear decided it was time to leave New York City and her job in reality TV production.

Why it matters

My last few years living and working in New York City were some of the most stressful years of my life," Lightyear tells CNBC Make It.

Common ground

"I was tired of working 70 hours a week for 10 years.

Perspective signals

No major persuasion pattern has been attached yet, so the source, headline, and evidence should carry most of the weight for readers.

Follow-up questions

What concrete event or decision sits underneath the headline: American moved to China, pays $278 a month in rent for a 3-bedroom apartment — take a look inside?
What evidence would most clearly confirm or weaken the claim that Since moving to China and supplementing her teaching salary with content creation and an active YouTube channel, Lightyear estimates she's been able to save $1,000 a month?
What should readers watch for in the next update to know whether the story is changing?

open_in_new Read the original article: https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/business/money-report/35-year-old-american-mo…

fact_checkClaims Checked

eFinder analyzed this article and checked 14 claims against available evidence, cross-references, web search, and Wikipedia. Here is what the fact-checking layer found.

check_circle Corroborated 7

schedule Pending 4

info Single Source 2

help Insufficient Evidence 1

schedule

Claim 1: “Since moving to China and supplementing her teaching salary with content creation and an active YouTube channel, Lightyear estimates she's been able to save $1,000 a month.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

schedule

Claim 2: “Lightyear also pays $50 a month for electricity, an average of $75 a month on groceries and $150 a month on eating out.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

info

Claim 3: “Lightyear had lived in neighborhoods all across NYC and in Jersey City at one point, too.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim consists of general Wikipedia and Kaggle entries about NYC and Jersey City, but contains no specific information regarding Alesse Lightyear's previous residences.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — New York, often called New York City, is the most populous city in the United States. It is located at the southern tip of New York State on New York Harbor, one of the world's largest natural harbors…
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Airbnb listings and metrics in NYC, NY, USA (2019).
https://www.kaggle.com/datasets/dgomonov/new-york-city-airbn…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The best Jersey City neighborhoods are The Waterfront and Downtown for 2026 based on Saturday Night Science.If you’re thinking of moving to New Jersey and Jersey City is on the top of your list, check…
https://www.homesnacks.com/best-neighborhoods-in-jersey-city…

schedule

Claim 4: “Lightyear says she knows she's ready to leave the country she's called home for six years”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

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Claim 5: “To secure the apartment, Lightyear had to pay a security deposit, a broker's fee, and three months' rent totaling $2,780.”

CORROBORATED

Although the 'Evidence for claim 8' section says no evidence found, the 'Evidence for claim 7' section explicitly contains two sources stating she paid $2,780 for a security deposit, broker's fee, and three months' rent.

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Claim 6: “The rent stipend she receives means Lightyear only has to pay half of her the $556 monthly rent — just $278 a month.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm the monthly rent is $556 and that she pays $278 due to a university stipend.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — The rent stipend she receives means Lightyear only has to pay half of her the $556 monthly rent — just $278 a month. To secure the apartment, Lightyear had to pay a security deposit, a broker's fee, a…
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/money-report/35-year-ol…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Her $556 rent is cut in half thanks to a university stipend, bringing her out-of-pocket cost to $278. To secure the lease, she paid a $2,780 up-front cost covering the security deposit, broker’s fee, …
https://shinemycrown.com/american-woman-who-moved-to-china-s…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — At 30 years old, Alesse Lightyear decided it was time to leave New York City and her job in reality TV production. “At the height of my career in New York, I was probably making $100,000 a year [and] …
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/cnbc-make-it_35-year-old-amer…

help

Claim 7: “Her additional expenses include $15 a month on her unlimited cell phone plan, Wi-Fi, and Internet.”

INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE

No evidence was provided in the search results regarding her specific monthly costs for cell phone, Wi-Fi, and internet.

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Claim 8: “Lightyear lived in the capital city for four years before relocating to Chengdu, where she got a job teaching at a university.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources confirm she lived in Beijing for four years before moving to Chengdu to teach at a university.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — She lived in the Chinese capital for four years before moving to Chengdu, where she is a teacher at a university. Lightyear works 18 hours a week, four days a week and has a yearly salary of about $30…
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/35-yea…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Lightyear moved to Chengdu in 2023. Lightyear took some time to consider where she might land next and decided on China, where should could teach English as a second language. In 2019, she made her of…
https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/business/money-report/35-year-ol…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In 2019, Alesse Lightyear decided to make a change, not just in her career but also where she lived.She moved to China — first to Beijing, then eventually to Chengdu — where she now works at a univers…
https://moneywise.com/life/lifestyle/new-york-woman-left-us-…

info

Claim 9: “Some of the benefits and perks of Lightyear's job include free health insurance, a travel stipend, a flight allowance, two months of paid summer and winter vacation, and a rent stipend.”

SINGLE SOURCE

The provided evidence for this claim contains general job listings for teaching in China and a YouTube video about Tahiti, but does not list the specific benefits provided to Alesse Lightyear.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — At China Teaching Jobs, you'll find the latest direct-to-school teaching jobs in China including English language, science, arts etc.Find the latest teaching jobs in China. Subjects include English La…
https://www.chinateachjobs.com/

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — ESL, TEFL, English, and subject teaching jobs at public, private, and international schools. New jobs added daily!15000-30000rmb, ESL and subject teacher needed all over China，International, Public sc…
https://teast.co/jobs/china

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Join me on this short flight on an Air Tahiti ATR 72 turboprop aircraft from Papeete in Tahiti to the world's most beautiful island, Bora Bora. The video also includes the boat transfer from Bora Bora…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC1i0zMMP4A

schedule

Claim 10: “Lightyear says she's staying in Chengdu for at least another 18 months, since she recently renewed her lease.”

PENDING

This claim was extracted as a checkable statement from the article. eFinder labels it pending based on the available evidence and source context shown below.

check_circle

Claim 11: “At the height of my career in New York, I was probably making $100,000 a year [and] working eight months out of the year”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources quote Lightyear stating she made approximately $100,000 a year working eight months of the year at the height of her NYC career.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — You work and earn $72,000 during the year, with $66,000 of it in the seven months from January through July.($5,600 - $280 = $5,320). Beginning in August 2026 when you reach full retirement age, you w…
https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/whileworking…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Latency during download (0). waiting for measurements...
https://speed.cloudflare.com/

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Claim 12: “settled on a furnished three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a balcony and laundry room. It's located in downtown Chengdu and only a five-minute walk from the subway.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple sources describe her apartment in downtown Chengdu as a furnished three-bedroom, one-bathroom unit with a balcony and laundry room, located five minutes from the subway.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — She also rents a furnished three-bedroom apartment downtown for $556 per month — half of which is covered by the university as an employee benefit. Her grocery costs are an estimated $75 per month, wh…
https://moneywise.com/life/lifestyle/new-york-woman-left-us-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Her monthly rent for a furnished 3-bedroom, 1-bathroom apartment in downtown Chengdu?Shortly after arriving in Chengdu, Lightyear toured six apartments in just 48 hours before choosing a sunny unit ju…
https://shinemycrown.com/american-woman-who-moved-to-china-s…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In Chengdu, Lightyear lives in a pre-furnished three-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment with a balcony and laundry room. Because of the rent stipend she gets, Lightyear only has to pay $278 a month for h…
https://netzender.com/35-year-old-american-moved-to-chengdu-…

check_circle

Claim 13: “In 2019, she made her official move to Beijing”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent sources confirm that Alesse Lightyear moved to Beijing, China, in 2019.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Alesse Lightyear. Lightyear spent years working in reality TV production in New York. Lightyear, 30 at the time, made her official move to Beijing, China in 2019 — and she hasn't looked back.
https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/business/money-report/35-yea…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Aleese Lightyear moved to Beijing, China in 2019 and has been living in Chengdu for almost two years.At 30 years old, Alesse Lightyear decided it was time to leave New York City and her job in reality…
https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/business/money-report/35…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In 2019, Alesse Lightyear decided to make a change, not just in her career but also where she lived.Here are 4 underrated, overseas spots for struggling Americans to think about. Aleese Lightyear move…
https://moneywise.com/life/lifestyle/new-york-woman-left-us-…

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Claim 14: “At 30 years old, Alesse Lightyear decided it was time to leave New York City and her job in reality TV production.”

CORROBORATED

Multiple independent web search results confirm Alesse Lightyear was 30 when she left New York City and her career in reality TV production.

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — Aleese Lightyear moved from New York City to China in 2019. CNBC.com.After 10 years of working 70-hour weeks in reality TV production in New York City, Alesse Lightyear says she could feel her youth d…
https://moneywise.com/life/lifestyle/new-york-woman-left-us-…

travel_explore

web search NEUTRAL — In 2019, just after her 30th birthday, Aleese Lightyear left a career in reality TV production behind to teach English as a second language in China. At the time, Lightyear was earning around $100,000…
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/35-year-old-american-le…

info Disclaimer: This analysis is generated by AI and should be used as a starting point for critical thinking, not as definitive truth. Claims are verified against publicly available sources. Always consult the original article and additional sources for complete context.