Longgang
龙岗区
The affordable northeast. More space and several universities, at the cost of a real commute.
Longgang is large, green in parts, and the cheapest of the districts that are properly connected. Several universities and research institutes sit out here, and a number of NIS members live near them.
You get considerably more room for your money and you pay for it in travel. An hour to Futian is normal, and the last metro home leaves earlier than you would like.
If your work or study is already in the east, none of that costs you much, and Longgang is the obvious place to start looking.
Who lives here
Students at the eastern campuses, and families who would rather have space than minutes.