http://www.interpretershenzhen.com/how-much-to-pay-for-a-translator-in-shenzhen

Usually it is about US$60 to US$120 (RMB400 to RMB800) per day.

Some smart translators or interpreters like to quote a very low daily rate when they receive an enquiry, they even do free sourcing for their potential clients, and talk with the suppliers that they need commission which is a big part of their income. For me, I never want to get commission from the suppliers, I usually do not do sourcing for my potential clients, I do sourcing for my regular clients though, but I charge my clients for the time I spend, some translators think that I am stupid, but I just want to have a long-term cooperation relationship with my clients.

Some students in college or some new graduated people without much working experience or no experience with overseas people would also like to quote with a very price or even free, and it usually ends up that the people from India or Mid-East coutries would like hire them, as these clients do not really care too much about effeciency and risk, what they really care is this small amount of pay for the translators.

So what is the reasonable rate to hire a translator or interpreter in Shenzhen? If you know how much the apartment rent, food, clothes and transportation cost in Shenzhen, you will have a better idea. A 15 squremeter room with a bed, a toilet and a small kitchen is about RMB800 to RMB1000 in downtown Shenzhen, and RMB500 to RMB700 in the suburbs, a fast food meal for a thin guy in KFC is about RMB20 to RMB30, a regular T-shirt for men in Wal-Mart is about RMB40 to RMB80, a pair of jean is about RMB80 to RMB150.

According to the authorities (All the employers need to claim their employees’ salary to the authorities, the more they claim, the more they pay the tax and social insurance for their employees), the average monthly salary for all the labors and workers in 2008 was RMB3621, in 2009 it was RMB3894, the labor is the big proportion and there are 21.75 working days per month.

Here is a table:

Year	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002
Average Salary	494	679	881	1023	1209	1378	1532	1726	1920	2162	2352

Year	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010
Average Salary	2551	2661	2706	2926	3233	3621	3894	4205

Here is a link to the authority information http://www.szsi.gov.cn/sbjxxgk/tzgg/siywgg/sizs/200905/t20090512_2429.htm

Now you have a better idea how much is reasonable.

http://www.interpretershenzhen.com/how-much-to-pay-for-a-translator-in-shenzhen