I spent about 10 days there last September...I have no ability in Mandarin, but my friend I traveled with is Chinese from Wuhan...I found the flavor of Wuhan quite different than Kunming, Guilin, Liuzhou, Beijing and all the other small towns I have visited...yes, the cab drivers are without a doubt the most unpredictable I have ever seen! Show your sense of adventure and take one during rush hour...it will be memorable to say the least!! Westerners are not common there, and many may stare, so what...I enjoy the attention!! The city is older then the others, yet has a feeling to it of chaos, but, in a friendly way...if you wish to relax...sit on a bench and watch the world of Wuhan go by...apartments are cheap if you know the right person to deal for you...
300-500yuan per month should be plenty, depending where you stay and how far from work you live...winters are chilly and heat is scarce though...an electric blanket is keenly advised...the summers are hot! Wuhan is known as a hot pot of China...and also known for the nine-headed bird people that live there!!...This is not an insult...you will see!!! ESL teachers are paid 4000yuan or more there...per month, do your homework and chat with others there thatw work, much different perks from one company to the next...and...beware of the nine-headed bird!!!...I did enjoy Wuhan much, it was my favorite of stories that I tell...but it is different, if you have champagne taste...maybe you should go to Shanghai instead!!!