Cheapest thing in China: Human labor

The prices of goods in China are terribly inflated, quickly surpassing prices in the U.S.; however, one thing remains abundant and cheap: human labor.  

Today I went for a little stroll with my mom and ran into several "beauty stations" where you could get your nails and makeup done.  You could even get your makeup tattooed, but I would't dare to do something so permanent at one of these temporary set-ups.  But get this, my mom and I both got our eyebrows done for roughly $0.80 each.  80 cents!

Then before headed out to dinner, we decided to get our hair blown out.  This is kind of a ritual for NYC women, a ritual I never understood or participated in.  However, it was roughly $1.50!  Yes one dollar and fifty cents.  How could you say no?  And the best part, the stylist was super skilled and efficient.  He did all my curls with just the tip of his fingers.  No curling iron and no round brushes.  I was in and out in 15 minutes.

Now, let's compare these prices with some other stuff:

Eyebrow shaping: $0.80

Hair blowout: $1.50

Live-in nanny: $400/month

Mid-grade cell phone: $700

Cappuccino: $4.00

Move ticket: $10-$20

Rent for a one bedroom in a big city: $700/month

Average income for college grads: $500/month

So to put it in perspective, as a working college grad, you won't be able to afford rent or a cell phone, but you sure can have a live-in nanny and still have money left over to get your hair blown out 66 times/month.