Cost of Living in Shanghai

@Noor my husband works at SJTU Minhang campus. We live near Xinzhuang and cost of two bedroom apartment around 100m2 is around 5000rmb-9000rmb, depending on how close to Xinzhuang you live. Closer to campus is a lot cheaper, around 4000 two bedroom apartment. Cost of living depends on your lifestyle, if you order groceries to be delivered and occasionally order food from western style and Chinese restaurants, you can expect to spend around 6-9k per month. Less if you shop at local grocery stores or vegetable stalls in wet markets. We use to go to public hospitals, was very cheap (MRI costs around <500 rmb?). Now we pay for international health insurance and costs are high-- we pay around 85000 per year for two and maternity coverage. Eventually costs of international schools will also be extremely high if you have kids, around 100,000rmb per year and up.

This month with the coronavirus, we aren't eating out and only getting our groceries locally-- I estimate we'll only spend around 5k per month on food. And lots of cooking at home.

can anyone please help me with the average cost of renting an apartment close to Jiao Tong University in Minhang Shanghai? also what is the cost of living for a family of two in the area?

Hey everyone. I have a job offer of 17000 RMB per month in Shanghai. Will this afford a decent standard of living for 2 people? Will I also be able to save on this wage?
How much will a studio apartment cost in a city centre?

Problem with this analysis is that Shanghai/Beijing/Shenzhen are just such large cities compare to those of other countries. It needs to be split up into smaller regions because outskirts are much cheaper than city centers. Also, how about medical costs?

Your prices on Numbeo are complete rubbish. Been in Shanghai now for 2 days and cheapest local beer has been 2.50GBP in food mall. Cheapest beer in a restaurant £4.00 GBP. Meals are around £8-£10 GBP in an inexpensive restaurant!

I got a postdoc offer with a fellowship of 11000 RMB per month at Fudan University, Shanghai.

Is it a good fellowship amount? How does it compare with the standard fellowship amount?

How much can be saved after tax deduction?

@Dave

Thanks for your reply. I am planning to stay in Jaiding area near office, so rental would be quite less. I am getting close to 28,000 RMB per month post all deductions. I will have an appraisal at the end of every year, so post 2-3 years i am expecting my monthly to go up to 36,000-38,000RMB. I am not planning to buy any house in SHA as i have no plans of settling in China.

Looking into all this, would you still say it's not an enough salary?

@KD

Are you planing on buying a house in Shanghai in the future?
If you do, you will need "at least" 1,000,000RMB per year to purchase one.
450,000RMB per year is good,
but you will need to consider what's the "actual" amount of money you gonna get after all the tax, insurance, and among other things.
If you are getting 30,000RMB, it's not really enough, considering you have a new born kid. It may be enough for first couple years, but when the kid needs to go to school, 30,000RMB per month won't cut it...

Hey,

Im trying to find some stats on average size (m^2) of a 1 bedroom apartment in the centre of shanghai. would anyone have any idea what its around. finding around 100m^2 but not 100% sure if this is correct.

Hi all,

As a local guy in Shanghai,i could give some suggestion for your reference.
The house rent is round 6000RMB/month which is near the city center.You can take the subway easily in this house.
The two way subway tickets cost at most 16RMB/everyday,i mean if you have to take many times on subway.

Meal expenses for one person is :

breakfast- under 10 RMB(Chinese food),like pancake or noodles
lunch- under 20RMB(Chinese food),some Chinese food combo.
dinner- under 30RMB(Chinese food),one dish and one rice.

The gifts in Shanghai are not cheap at all!If you need some cheap but good gifts.You have to purchase them on TaoBao.We buy everything on this website.

From my view,if you get a salary about 10k,that's enough for your daily cost.But if you wanna save more money,you have to think more on your accommodation and your food.

Question are welcomed and you could @ me.

Hello All,

For 8+ year experience in Automotive IT, is 450,000 CNY/Year package good enough, considering costs for non-working wife and a new born kid?

BR,
KD

@Anas
I assume that the college will offer you accomodation, and normally a meal for one in college cafeteria is below 15 Rmb（2~3 USD）.

@Joana
Hi Joana, it's enough.

Hi everyone.
I was offered a job in Shanghai which is paid 13 000 Rmb. The accomodation is offered. Is thia enough to live there?

Hi,
I have an interview for a job in Shanghai on Monday, the wages are 20000rmb a month with free accomodation.

Will this be enough to save?

Hi I got offered an internship, where you get paid 4,000rmb and they will play for accommodation on top of this. Does this salary mean you will have a low standard of living?

Hi, i get a job offer at shanghai and salary is about 12500RMB. After i go through the data above seems like is hardly to survive with this offer. Need someone advise on this please? I'm curious what is the cost of rental for 1 bedroom (without share) within center area.

The problem is you all assume people live in Jing an area...which is very expensive. If you are willing to like in other areas, the rent isnt terrible. I lived between Dong Chang and Century Avenue only 1 stop from Luijazui and paid 4000rmb per month for 1 bedroom 58sqm. Now it goes for 5000rmb per month.

To HGK

If a company offers 11k, the net income is probably 8-9k after the tax and fees.

It is very hard to find an average studio under 7k in the city center. There are some 4-5k units, but mostly in poor condition and are highly sought for by those who share the cost among 4 or more people (student and other lower income groups). You will likely spend 50% of the income to rent a place of your own in the "intermediate circle" or beyond.

As to the living cost beyond housing, the numbers listed are quite close. You need 4k excluding the rent to live.

A bit tight, but doable. Best to find someone to share the housing cost.

You can rent an apartment for RMB5k. But an expat friendly 3 bedroom that you’ll be happy in goes for 20,000 to 40,000.

Any one can tell me where most of the tamil peoples lives in shanghai.

Hello,
I'm offered a job in Shanghai with 8000 CNY for a month, is that enough for me to cover my expenses and rent a 1bedroom apartment and still save a little as well?
Please help me

Hi,
I want to open a hotel in sanghai city near a medical college so what is the process to open a hotel ?

I am offered a 30000/month yuan salary IT job in Shanghai including 15% extra for retirement money, + up to 10000 for help with rent and about 1500 for subway card. I have about 10+ years experience of software development and am currently a senior level. In addition to this usually 15% yearly salary bonus are paid, but no guarantees. A basic health/safety insurance will be in the contract as well. My doubts are not so much the money, but more about the health and living conditions in China. Food, air, health care quality, entertainment.
Moving to China for two years with my Chinese wife must be worth it in different aspects and I know Shanghai is much more expensive than a few years ago. Many foreigners have also already left the city from what I have heard. I wonder what apartment I can find for 10000 /month. Minimum 1 bedroom, living room and kitchen. Actually 2 bedrooms would be nice in case some of her relatives visit.
I hear most people buy groceries for cooking online. Same with clothes.

Hello everyone. My husband has been offered a post doctorate fellowship in material sciences in a v Gud university in shinghai. But the problem is they r offering only 10, 000 RMB. I wanted to know whether they wud be sufficient for me him and our 4 yrs kid and a 7 month old baby thank u

@mariam

hello, I suggest you can search some statistic on average salary for your husband, it really depends on his working experience and job field. for me working in design industry with 8 years international working experience the range would be 20k-30k (before tax). I don't know about school tuition though..

Hey @Madie,

Welcome to Shanghai at first! I don't know where you get this weird information, but of course you and your boyfriend can live and rent a flat together in China.

It's always hard to find a full time job as a foreigner in China if you don't have a contract before you come. But some part-time job like language Teacher or journalist would not be hard to find. Ask other foreigner on that after you come. Local people don't know much about that.

Enjoy your stay and discover this wonderful city!

Hi, I have been offered a contract to teach in Shanghai paying 15000 RMB/month. I am single, so the salary would only need to cover my expenses (rent, utilities, food, etc). Is that enough?

Well I am currently living in Shanghai, originally from the UK, was working as a private English teacher with a dodgy agency - they were paying me 250rmb/140mins class with each student ( I know it's a really weird amount of time right?) and was earning anywhere between 6-8000/month depending on how many classes I taught. Anyway, long story short, one of my students was the owner of a small PR agency and he offered me a job as a copywriter (which I had no idea what that meant at the time) for 22,000 rmb/month after tax. But bare in mind that's a rather high salary even for a laowai (foreigner in Chinese) in China, really if you earn upwards of 10k you'll be ok, 15K+ comfortable, and with 20k and more you'll be able to save a sizeable amount each month. PEACE!

Dear Aneesa

What type of teaching will you be doing? I'm looking to teach English. Please let me know which agency you went through with please. The positions I've applied for are offering a less than 18200 Yuan with no money towards accomodation. My email Addy veebhan@gmail.com. thanks

Hi,

One company offering me salary 50,000 USD per Year in Shanghai.

So it can be manageable for e people ?

@Sadia : firstly welcome to shanghai, to answer your question Jing An area is a good area of shanghai pretty much downtown as anyone would say, but on your hubby's salary 16000RMB to support a family of 2members it would be a little hard. and i want to ask if your hubby's salary 16000 is it before tax? if so then it's gonna be even harder for you two.