I'm in Shenzhen but here goes. First to find the place unless you speak directly to the owner you will have to pay an agent. You only pay the agent if you want to rent the apartment they show you - but the fee is usually high, maybe 50% of a months rent - but you can usually talk this down. If you like a particular apartment block, speak to the security guards of the apartment block - they know what apartments are empty etc and they can hook u up and usually cost 1 or 2 hundren yuan.
Deposit - usually one month rent ( some people say u never get it back, but I got my last deposit back and I left the apartment filthy!)
Utilities- on top of the quoted mothly rent is the utilites so here we go
Management fee - about 10% - 15% of the monthly rent extra per month
Security fee - usually included in the management fee - I live in a little "village" where laiwi's shouldn't live and there is no mangement fee but I pay a security fee for the securtiy guards - about 40 yuan / month
TV - yes you even pay to rent the antana on top of the building for free to air stations! about 28 yuan per month
Cable TV - is more and depends what channels u want - if u do want this shoot me a message
Water - charged per liter - i dont know how much per liter but its cheap - the most i have used is about 15 yuan a month - and I like my 1 hour long hot showers.
Gas - I use bottled gas (about 100 yuan per bottle - lasts about 2 months) but most is metered, my freind uses about 150 yuan a month (he's on a meter)
Electricty - metered cant remember how much per unit - but if u want to know I'll ask.
So all the above bar cable tv and BOTTLED GAS is paid to the landlord and the meters should be easy to find. They usually write the meter readings on the monthly rent receipt. For me (and my girlfriend) I spend about 300 - 400 yuan / month on utilites. plus my bottled gas.
Telephone, internet can also be done through the building / apartment owner - it depends on the building / apartment owner. So you will have to talk to them about it. They may help u get it connected - they may not - they may want you to pay them or pay the phone / internet company directly. (Its the same with cable TV).
Cable internet - or adsl is usually about 100 yuan a month for a 512kbps connection and the phone is usually about 28 yuan a month for the line rent plus calls.
instalation fees for interent vary - alot of the internet companies have web sites in english so check for the specials - they usually do a special where installation is free. ( usually about 200 - 300 yuan).
I think the phone "installation" is free - but you have to buy your own phone. (the cheapest one I've seen is 10 yuan from the local supermarket).
The "lease" is usually the agent or owner photocoping your passport - NEVER give them your passport. And every-so-often you'll have people come to check your ID - they check everyone - chinese included. Here they may badly copy down your name or take a photo of your passport - I dont answer the doors to these guys anymore, they just annoy me.
Opps. lease length - in shenzhen 6 months is usual - they might try for a year, but don't agree. You break the least you lose your deposit.
hmmmm - i think thats it