Your Expat Community in Shanghai

According to Expat Insider, Shanghai places 46th out of 50 cities due to its spot at the bottom when it comes to Expat Essentials. Internet censorship, bureaucracy issues, and language barriers can be stressful in daily life. Learning Mandarin is not an easy task either.

On the other hand, the salary packages are generous, and the possibility to save money is high, ranking 13th for Personal Finance and 6th for Salary & Security. The economy is huge, 5G internet is available almost everywhere, and the city is full of places to explore.

So, if you are prepared to put up with the negative factors and focus on the positives the city can offer, it can be your ideal destination.

As the center of China’s massive economy, aiming for technological self-sufficiency, the Tech & AI, New Energy & EV, Education, Finance, and Retail & Luxury Management sectors in Shanghai are open to hiring international professionals. The salary range for the entry-level roles across sectors is more or less standardized, but experts with Category A visas earn much higher.

In the table below, you’ll see the income figures for the top five most demanding sectors.

Living costs in Shanghai are higher than average, as the most expensive city in China. Rent depends on the type of accommodation and its location. Dining out or food delivery is usually affordable unless the restaurant is high-end. Necessities like groceries, public transport, and utilities are also affordable. A single person should expect to spend around 10,000 CNY to 15,000 CNY (approx. 1,500–2,200 USD).

Below is a table with the estimated monthly costs of living in Shanghai.

Getting a Z visa in your country before leaving is the first step to working in Shanghai. The visa has two tiers, Category A and Category B. You must meet the monthly salary thresholds for visa approval, which are 49,736 CNY (approx. 7,300 USD) for Category B and 74,604 CNY (approx. 11,000 USD) for Category A.

The declaration of arrival must be made within 24 hours, at a police station or through the Suishenban portal/app. You must then change it into a work-type residence permit within 30 days of arrival, which is usually issued after the employer finalizes the Foreigner’s Work Permit card.

One more step is doing a mandatory medical check-up at the Shanghai International Travel Healthcare Center and then submitting it to the Exit-Entry Bureau. Your passport will be held by them for 7 to 10 working days to issue the residency sticker. For more details, you can read our Visas & Work Permits in China guide.

Every resident with a job must contribute 2% of their gross income to the mandatory social medical insurance, capped at 746.04 CNY (approx. 110 USD) per month. Basic coverage includes access to public hospitals and medications listed on the National Reimbursement Drug List, which also covers Traditional Chinese Medicine. The patient is responsible for a certain amount of co-payment.

If you don’t want to deal with a long waiting time or a language barrier, you can take out comprehensive private health insurance. This covers the full costs at English-speaking facilities, including specialized dental care and even mental health services. For more information, read our Healthcare in China guide.

Looking for housing and moving in happens fast in Shanghai. Since the whole housing process happens fast, it’s common to start with a hotel stay or a temporary apartment to do viewings in person. You can also just walk into local real estate offices. Furnished accommodation is the norm, so you won’t feel like you are paying more rent just for the furniture. Popular property portals are:

• SmartShanghai
• Wellcee
• Ziroom
• Beike

Documents such as a passport, a visa or a permit, and an employment contract are necessary. Usually, you’ll be paying a one-month deposit and the first month's rent, along with an agent fee, when you sign the lease. For more tips, you can read our Housing in China guide.

It depends on what you are looking for and your budget. The French Concession is expensive, offering streets lined with trees and lane houses with many cafes. Jing’an area is mid-to-high pricing with a lively nightlife, making it ideal for students and young expats.

Hongqiao, Gubei, and residential parts of Pudong are suitable for families, as there are international schools and green spaces to hang out with the kids. 7 different metro lines run in the Putuo area, which is mid-tier pricing for those who must commute frequently. The most affordable areas, Baoshan and Minghang, offer a bigger space for a lower rent, but take an hour to reach downtown.

Many respondents of Expat Insider have claimed that the city is very safe. According to the Safe Cities Index 2024, Shanghai had a Personal Security score of 84 out of 100, meaning that violent crimes are extremely rare.

Petty crimes like pickpocketing and scams do happen occasionally in tourist and crowded areas. Overall, it’s a safe city with a noticeable police presence that can make expats feel safe living there.

Getting around Shanghai is efficient thanks to the excellent infrastructure of the public transport system, with high-speed trains and metros where 5G internet is available. You just need to set up Alipay or WeChat Pay to pay for the rides by scanning QR codes. The rides usually cost between 3 CNY and 10 CNY (approx. 0.45–1.50 USD).

You can also use the Suishenxing (SH MaaS) app both for payments and real-time schedules, as well as route planning. Amap (Gaode Maps) is also another amazing tool that offers real-time transit data and precise subway exit information.

If you’re coming from Pudong Airport, take the high-speed Maglev train that can take you to the city center in under 8 minutes for 50 CNY (approx. 7.50 USD). If you prefer to commute by car, you can book the rides via Didi, which is basically the local version of Uber. If you prefer cycling, there are blue and yellow bikes on many streets, which you can just pay a few yuan for via the HelloBike app or the Meituan app. For more transport information, you can take a look at our Living in Shanghai guide.

According to Expat Insider, Shanghai lands 46th in Language, meaning that the language barrier is hard to overcome. The city might have a bigger international population compared to other cities in China, but over 65% of expats find Mandarin very difficult to learn.

Mandarin Chinese is needed for daily life, administration services, and career prospects. Additionally, many digital platforms for payments and daily services don’t offer English versions, so navigating the platforms without an understanding of basic Chinese Characters is hard. Learning Mandarin, at least the basics, is highly recommended if you are planning a long-term stay.

Locals are curious and friendly towards foreigners, as the city has a higher foreign population than other mainland cities. Many participants in Expat Insider also said that people are warm, friendly, and helpful when asked what they like most about Shanghai.

However, Mandarin is dominant in local social circles, and they have their own social and family connections that are hard for outsiders to join. Learning the local language will help you in the long term to break out of your own social circle, as people there are already friendly.

Over 20% of the expat population in the whole mainland lives in Shanghai, meaning that you’ll find your like-minded expat friends who share your interests and hobbies without going through a language barrier.

InterNations is a great place to start, whether you are a newcomer or not. As a global network with an international community in 420 cities worldwide, we offer multiple events regularly and activities to help expats socialize and build friendships. Most people come alone to the events and make new connections in a laid-back atmosphere.

Platforms like WeChat and Xiaohongshu are also another way to meet people. You can also join sports teams to make new friends while staying fit. Last but not least, taking Mandarin classes will help you build friendships with the locals while you also meet other expats sharing the same experience.