Exchange program in PekingU

I'm considering doing an exchange program of 1 year in PekingU in the economics faculty.

I'm having a few second doubts due to a few factors : - I've been told that Beijing isn't as fun of a city for students as other big cities like Shanghai and Guangzhou - I've been told that people are more traditional and aren't as open as the other big cities (I'm a foreigner with darker skin) - It gets really cold and polluted in the winter (I prefer warmer weather, but can live with cold weather) - It's very expensive - I'm not too sure if my courses will be in English or not

I have another choice, Chengchi University in Taipei. I'm also heavily considering that. And with whatever money I have left at the end of the semester, I can use that to visit a few of the major cities in the region (East-Asia)

What would you recommend me to do? Is it worth it to go to PekingU and consequently Beijing with all the "drawbacks"?