Accommodation in Shanghai

Accommodation in Shanghai is varied, with old and luxurious homes pressing against new high rise developments and suburban neighbourhoods.
 
Much of the growth surrounding the city was developed within the last 20 years and becomes newer the farther one travels from the city centre. When choosing accommodation in Shanghai, it is important for expats to consider proximity to work and schools, as heavily congested traffic can make for hellish commutes.
 

The Huangpu River runs vertically through the centre of Shanghai, splitting Shanghai into two huge regions; Pudong, east of the river, and the older downtown area to the west. Expats, in general, find housing in a wide horizontal stretch through the centre of the city in both regions.
 
To the far west are the Western Suburbs, a relatively new development that has become popular with expat families. Large villa-style houses are common and many expat families and several international schools create a somewhat insular expat suburban community.
 
In-between the city centre and the Western Suburbs is Honggiao, another popular expat suburb with similar but slightly older villa housing. Its closer proximity to the city centre can make it appealing.

Accommodation in the city centre has the advantages typical of living in any major city, including great access to nightlife, restaurants, excitement and a real sense of Chinese culture. The downsides are also familiar: the area can be polluted, loud, crowded and very expensive. Shanghai’s city centre has several decadent and old residential neighbourhoods that act as oases within the storm of the city, but these desirable properties come with their own very expensive price tags.

Even the high apartment buildings downtown with less space are often more expensive than renting a large house in the nearby suburbs.

Pudong, east of the river, has become something of a neighbour city to Shanghai, and houses much of the international industry. Many international companies with expat employees are located throughout Pudong, consequently creating many adjacent expat suburban communities. In tow are expat amenities like international schools and shopping areas. While not unusual to live in Pudong and commute to work in the Shanghai city centre, most expats living in Pudong work there as well.
 

It is common to pay two months' deposit for rental properties, with leases typically for one year. Short term rentals are more expensive, and leases longer than one year can sometimes be negotiated for less expensive rates. Rentals available for expats are usually advertised in dollars.