That not true. I lived briefly in Beijing, food and everything else is exponentially cheaper than in the US. Even DVDs are cheap Imported products are more expensive but what you need to live as a middle class, you probably just need 1/4 or less of what you need to live in Chicago. Not even a comparison.
I dont' trust cheap food. Many of my relatives run restaurants, in USA and in China. You don't want to eat there once you walk into the kitchen. I am not sure when you lived in BJ. In 2005, I drove a $10K as an middle class. Now, many below middle class family drive $20K cars. Real esates, rents went up. Water bills, electricity bills went up. Even pork, wheat, rice went up (those future speculators are laughing.) I have not lived in the states for a while, not sure how the inflations are doing except gas prices.
Ohhh, that's why the US is trying so hard to find life in outer space. 'Cause after China, I can't think of any country on earth that could take it's place for manufacturing relatively cheap stuff for the masses throughout the world.
I think it's more than $50k in China, but it's due to taxes not inflation. I know an Accord costs $50k there.