Where to live in Shanghai?

[Yang Rui]

I'm moving to Shanghai soon, and I wanted to pick forummers' brains about where is best to live, and find out about the different areas.

I will be working in Pudong around Fucheng Lu, and my flatmate will be working in Puxi around Nanjing Xi Lu, so transport to and from work will be a factor. A journey to work of under 30 mins would be good.

I'd also like easy access to shops selling good quality imported western food. This is important, because after a couple of years here, I've almost totally gone off Chinese food.

We don't want to get stuck with a huge rent either - something less than RMB3500 per month would be good. Is this likely in Shanghai? I'm basing my budgets around Beijing living-costs but I'm not totally sure they apply to Shanghai

What are my options? Am I being unrealistic? Any help would be much appreciated - even just a bit of background to what different areas offer would be good.

[woliveri]

Well, Pudong and NanJing Xi Lu are right off the Number 2 line of the subway. I think you could easily find something within your budget for an apartment depending on your requirements.

For example, I'm paying 1200 a month for a one bedroom apartment in ZhaBei district (up the number 1 line) but my requirements are not high. It's an older building but comfortable.

The subway system here is very good and you can easily find restaurants either in Pudong or in Puxi which are close to the subway line. Many western restaurants in Pudong.

Hope this helps,

[wushijiao]

I'd agree with woliveri- find somewhere within a ten minute walk of line number two. The Jingan Si area is nice, but probably a bit pricy.

[youpii]

FuCheng rd is near the LuJiaZui station. So line 2 is a good choice. But anything near the line 2 is very overpriced. With your budget, I think you'll only find a 2 bedroom apartment in the far west end of that line, near SongHong Rd.

The trip on the entire line from east to west takes about 45 minutes, so it's still quite OK.

For the food, you have a cityshop (http://www.cityshop.com.cn/) with all the western ingredients you want near your office, but for a price.

Good subway map:

http://johomaps.com/as/china/shanghai/shanghaimetro.html

[Yang Rui]

Thanks very much for all the above advice. Youpii, that map is really good.

Any other advice of course still welcome, but this at least gives me something to go on.

One more question - is there any particular area that's known for having lots of nice cafes with Wi-Fi internet? Sometimes I'm able to work from home, and it's nice to take the laptop to a nice cafe and work.

[Gary Soup]

Don't give up on Chinese food! Shanghai Cuisine is not Beijing Cuisine.... but if you are adamant about eating Western food, this link might be useful.

On your other question, some (all?) of the Chamate Tea House chain have free wi-fi. They have great tea and good food.

[shanghaikai]

Yes, 一茶一坐 (yi cha yi zuo/chamate) has free wi-fi, but you do have a minimum expense of 20 RMB/person. All the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaves also have free wi-fi, but of course, it would be rude to not purchase something to sit there. Starbucks is far more annoying since they charge for their access. There are many other smaller establishments but I can't name any off the top of my head. Often, it is more difficult to find an electrical plug than a wi-fi signal; this can be important if you're working for extended times.

As others have said, Line 2 will be your friend since both of you work in areas that are serviced by it. It is hard to determine whether you can find something for the budget you gave because we have no idea what standards you're expecting but the obviously the further or more inconvenient it is, the cheaper it is. That said, I wouldn't limit my search to places only along Line 2. Lines 1, 3, and 4 are all possible options.

For example, I live right next to the LanCun Lu Metro Station for Line 4. It is two stops south of the Century Blvd Metro Station for Line 2. I often go to the Jin An Temple and Nanjing Xi Lu Metro Stations for Line 2. Each trip can take 30-60 minutes but is reasonably convenient, much cheaper than taxi, and often faster too. For grocery shopping, however, I typically go to the FangDian Lu Carrefour via taxi, which should be as close to you as it is to me. Plenty of western products there but Cityshop is good option too.

Line 1 intersects Line 2 at People's Square but most of it courses through prime Puxi real estate (more for the line south of People's Square than the north part). Nonetheless, lots of housing options and still very convenient to interchange to get to Nanjing Xi Lu and LuJiaZui. If you head north on Line 1, you hit up a lot of nice big shopping plazas too that are more reminiscent of Western shopping plazas than inner-city malls (Da Ning Plaza, for example).

The ZhongShan Park Line 2, 3, 4 hub is convenient but also expensive. North and south of it along Lines 3 and 4 (Line 4 is an uncompleted circle around most of inner Shanghai) is also okay with plenty of options. Of course, you'll be making interchanges at ZhongShan Park to get on Line 2 and your commute to PuDong will be longer than your roommate's. My old roomate and I had a place near ZhongShan Park for about your budget, brand new, two bedroom, 1 living room, 1 dining room, kitchen, bathroom, new furniture, etc. However, despite its proximity to the ZhongShan Park hub, it was located in a smaller street that didn't have any bus service and taxis driving through were hard to hail. To get to the metro, we still needed to find a taxi or walk 10-15 minutes to a bus stop to take the bus to the metro station.

Alright, I've said enough, but hopefully you've gotten an idea of your options! Good luck!

[Yang Rui]

Thanks for all that info. As for my standards, I'm not looking for anything too upmarket. Something really basic would do, as long as the kitchen and bathroom are not the totally ancient kind that will never ever look clean again. Judging from what people have said, I don't think we should have too much trouble finding something.

PS. Gary - don't worry, I haven't totally given up on Chinese food. I used to absolutely love it. But for some reason these days, I can't eat it every day, and need a dose of satisfying Western stodge every other day or so. Must be getting old.

[lily_spring88]

I suggest you two to live in Pudong area, which is cleaner and quieter. You can live near

Century Avenue Station. Your budget is enough.

Hope you enjoy yourself in Shanghai.