Related guide
Best areas to live in Shanghai
Compare Jing'an, Xuhui, Pudong, Changning, Huangpu, and Minhang — with notes on the typical expat housing options in each area.
Planning Guide
Cost of living in Shanghai.
A practical breakdown of what expats and newcomers actually spend in Shanghai — rent, food, transport, utilities, and realistic monthly budgets for different lifestyles.
Coming soon
This guide is on the way.
The full cost of living guide for Shanghai is being written now. It will cover rent prices by neighbourhood, food costs for eating in and out, transport, utilities, school fees, and realistic monthly budget ranges for singles, couples, and families.
Biggest expense
Rent in Shanghai
Detailed rent data by neighbourhood, apartment size, and compound type is being added to this section. In the meantime, the areas guide below gives a practical comparison of where expats typically live and what to expect.
Day to day
Food and groceries
Detailed cost breakdowns for local restaurants, international dining, grocery delivery, and cooking at home are being added here. The foreign groceries guide covers where to buy imported food.
Getting around
Transport costs
The metro is one of the cheapest parts of daily life in Shanghai. A typical metro journey costs ¥4 to ¥9. Monthly Didi and taxi spending varies widely depending on how far you live from work.
Coming soon
Monthly budget estimates
Realistic monthly budget ranges for a single expat, a couple, and a family with children in Shanghai — covering rent, food, transport, utilities, leisure, and school fees. Being added soon.
Next step
New to Shanghai? Start with the essentials
Set up payments, apps, and transport with the Shanghai starter guides, then explore neighbourhoods and daily life at your own pace.