{"id":594,"date":"2017-05-08T23:26:02","date_gmt":"2017-05-08T15:26:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/2017\/05\/08\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/"},"modified":"2024-05-09T13:04:55","modified_gmt":"2024-05-09T05:04:55","slug":"is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/","title":{"rendered":"Is This China&#8217;s Best City For Expats?"},"content":{"rendered":"<blockquote><p>Shanghai is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in China, and its glamour has long been a draw for foreigners from all over the world. For more than 150 years, people from overseas have found a home away from home here. Then and now, it\u2019s opportunity t<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p>Shanghai is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in China, and its glamour has long been a draw for foreigners from all over the world. For more than 150 years, people from overseas have found a home away from home here. Then and now, it\u2019s opportunity that drives them to settle here.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"1.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FnaKkNYj4yJHckapw8V2ON0Dw_-g?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"480\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_73 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Photo_Gensler\" title=\"Photo:Gensler\">Photo:Gensler<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Photo_Internet\" title=\"Photo:Internet\">Photo:Internet<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Shanghai_is_a_global_business_centre_and_Chinas_largest_city_%E2%80%93_making_it_an_exciting_proposition_for_expats_Photo_iStock\" title=\"Shanghai is a global business centre and China&#8217;s largest city &#8211; making it an exciting proposition for expats Photo:iStock\">Shanghai is a global business centre and China&#8217;s largest city &#8211; making it an exciting proposition for expats Photo:iStock<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Making_Money\" title=\"Making Money\">Making Money<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Pollution_is_worsening_in_Shanghai_but_its_not_yet_as_bad_as_other_Chinese_cities_Photo_Getty_Images\" title=\"Pollution is worsening in Shanghai, but it\u2019s not yet as bad as other Chinese cities&nbsp;Photo:Getty Images\">Pollution is worsening in Shanghai, but it\u2019s not yet as bad as other Chinese cities&nbsp;Photo:Getty Images<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Katies_Food_Diaries_in_Shanghai_Photo_Youtube\" title=\"Katie&#8217;s Food Diaries in Shanghai Photo:Youtube\">Katie&#8217;s Food Diaries in Shanghai Photo:Youtube<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Shanghai_subway_Photo_YouTube\" title=\"Shanghai subway Photo:YouTube\">Shanghai subway Photo:YouTube<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Shanghai_apartment_Photo_Housing_Anywhere\" title=\"Shanghai apartment Photo:Housing Anywhere\">Shanghai apartment Photo:Housing Anywhere<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Where_To_Settle\" title=\"Where To Settle\">Where To Settle<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#East_Huaihai_Apartment_in_Shanghai_Photo_Yirent\" title=\"East Huaihai Apartment in Shanghai Photo:Yirent&nbsp;\">East Huaihai Apartment in Shanghai Photo:Yirent&nbsp;<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#The_former_French_Concession_in_downtown_Shanghai_Photo_iStock\" title=\"The former French Concession in downtown Shanghai Photo:iStock\">The former French Concession in downtown Shanghai Photo:iStock<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Bring_The_Kids\" title=\"Bring The Kids\">Bring The Kids<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Shanghai_International_Schools_Photo_iDEALShanghai\" title=\"Shanghai International Schools Photo:iDEALShanghai\">Shanghai International Schools Photo:iDEALShanghai<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Jobs_and_regulations\" title=\"Jobs and regulations\">Jobs and regulations<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Photo_Job_Find_Jobs\" title=\"Photo:Job Find Jobs\">Photo:Job Find Jobs<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Living_It_Up\" title=\"Living It Up\">Living It Up<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-5' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Shanghai_can_offer_Westerners_home_comforts_too_Here_travellers_and_foreigners_relax_and_drink_coffee_at_Starbucks_in_Xintiandi_Photo_Alamy\" title=\"Shanghai can offer Westerners home comforts too. Here travellers and foreigners relax and drink coffee at Starbucks in Xintiandi &nbsp;Photo:Alamy\">Shanghai can offer Westerners home comforts too. Here travellers and foreigners relax and drink coffee at Starbucks in Xintiandi &nbsp;Photo:Alamy<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-5'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/is-this-chinas-best-city-for-expats\/#Using_Chinas_vast_high-speed_rail_network_major_cities_in_the_region_are_just_an_hour_away_Photo_Getty_Images\" title=\"Using China\u2019s vast high-speed rail network, major cities in the region are just an hour away Photo:Getty Images\">Using China\u2019s vast high-speed rail network, major cities in the region are just an hour away Photo:Getty Images<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Photo_Gensler\"><\/span>Photo:Gensler<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>Initially, Shanghai sounded less than appealing to American Andrea Duty. When her husband Chris told her that his company had offered him a position in the city, she didn\u2019t even want to discuss it.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cMy first reaction was: absolutely not,\u201d Duty recalled several months later, munching on imported Spanish cheese in a Tapas bar in the heart of Shanghai.<\/p>\n<p>Two months after their move, the couple is in love with Shanghai, and, like many foreigners, they can reel off an almost endless list of reasons for it.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"2.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FrN9mKXVZOpvzmWtSXszYCiITinS?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"427\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Photo_Internet\"><\/span>Photo:Internet<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>Economic growth slipped to just under 7% last year, the stock market has been volatile and rich Chinese are seeking ways to get their money out of the country. In recent years some foreign companies have become more pessimistic about their operations in China, and started to replace foreigners in top positions with foreign-educated Chinese.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Reports indicate the number of foreigners in the city was around 255,000 around a year ago, a drop of 2% versus 2014.<\/p>\n<p>Although everyone is waiting for the economic bubble to burst, China\u2019s financial capital is still a very attractive option for workers looking for an exciting overseas assignment. Foreigners still see Shanghai as a chance to either further their career in ways they couldn\u2019t at home, or to make money quickly. For many, it\u2019s both.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"3.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FqZBZj08ZtSB61oGGQM8lrN9751K?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shanghai_is_a_global_business_centre_and_Chinas_largest_city_%E2%80%93_making_it_an_exciting_proposition_for_expats_Photo_iStock\"><\/span>Shanghai is a global business centre and China&#8217;s largest city &#8211; making it an exciting proposition for expats Photo:iStock<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Making_Money\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: rgb(227, 55, 55);\">Making Money<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>\u201cExpats here have an interesting opportunity because it\u2019s still such a boomtown, and many are moving in,\u201d said Duty, an American chef who is working on a cookbook on French regional pastries.<\/p>\n<p>Most expats don\u2019t find life in Shanghai all that expensive \u2014 perhaps because expat incomes are high. In China, foreigners make an average of about $158,000 a year, compared to a global average of just over $104,000, HSBC\u2019s 2015 Expat Explorer survey found.<\/p>\n<p>Many professionals work in management positions, and are paid premiums to make the big leap here, despite relatively greater cultural hurdles and worsening air pollution. Some are even offered a pollution hazard pay.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"4.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FiPLJylE0ex1kYhqpN5wsb5bcBP_?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Pollution_is_worsening_in_Shanghai_but_its_not_yet_as_bad_as_other_Chinese_cities_Photo_Getty_Images\"><\/span>Pollution is worsening in Shanghai, but it\u2019s not yet as bad as other Chinese cities&nbsp;Photo:Getty Images<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>Over the past few years, air pollution levels have worsened in Shanghai. On some days, the air is deemed \u201cvery unhealthy\u201d but it hardly ever reaches the \u201chazardous\u201d levels Beijing residents are struggling with.<\/p>\n<p>But the glitz and the many comforts of living in Shanghai have their price, a recent survey by corporate consultants ECA International found. In terms of cost of living, Shanghai has surpassed other Asian metropolises and takes the top rank as the continent\u2019s most expensive city for expats.<\/p>\n<p>The survey only compared consumer goods and services, and did not consider housing or income, but other studies, too, show that the city of more than 24 million can be one of the world\u2019s most expensive.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"5.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FvHoNm4LOOZvNF4qIjnacBLMV6rA?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Katies_Food_Diaries_in_Shanghai_Photo_Youtube\"><\/span>Katie&#8217;s Food Diaries in Shanghai Photo:Youtube<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>But other than paying for pricey home comforts such as dairy products or fresh produce, life in Shanghai can be very affordable, at least compared to Hong Kong. Lunch in Western restaurants is typically less than $10, an amount that would also get you a taxi across the city. If you get on the extensive and modern subway system, you\u2019ll hardly ever pay more than $1.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"6.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FtfPw2tV5WXKP3oPXTOb03A3BGRw?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shanghai_subway_Photo_YouTube\"><\/span>Shanghai subway Photo:YouTube<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>\u201cFor us, our cost of eating went down, the cost of groceries, the cost of transportation&#8230; I do find it more financially comfortable than living in London or in New York,\u201d Duty said.<\/p>\n<p>Not only is their disposable income higher than when they lived in the West, but, barring air pollution, their way of life has improved.<\/p>\n<p>The Dutys now pay similar monthly rent as they did in London, but their apartment is much more spacious, spreading over two floors with a furnished living room and kitchen.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"7.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FljMyK7pvuzl6WVz_WeRNqvJYX8Q?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"360.61224489795916\" width=\"589\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shanghai_apartment_Photo_Housing_Anywhere\"><\/span>Shanghai apartment Photo:Housing Anywhere<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>Finding a home was quick and easy for the Dutys, but there are pitfalls for house hunters, as many agents are unreliable and some listings are fake. Real estate agents usually come referred by co-workers or friends who have already lived in Shanghai.<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: rgb(227, 55, 55);\"><br \/><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\">             <\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Where_To_Settle\"><\/span><span style=\"color: rgb(227, 55, 55);\"><strong>Where To Settle<\/strong><\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"color: rgb(227, 55, 55);\">  <\/span><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"8.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FksxV_NcnRzkB8B9uCGTcPX9nPOg?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"426\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><br \/><\/h3>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"East_Huaihai_Apartment_in_Shanghai_Photo_Yirent\"><\/span>East Huaihai Apartment in Shanghai Photo:Yirent&nbsp;<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a great place for foreigners,\u201d said Carlby Xie, China research director for real estate firm Colliers International.<\/p>\n<p>Overall, the vibe is cosmopolitan and modern, and the general attitude toward foreigners is friendly.<\/p>\n<p>Housing, however, is the biggest concern for foreigners, and rents vary widely depending on location. Generally, Colliers found that rents cost about $29 a square metre, but expats often pay much more because to them, location matters, Xie said.<\/p>\n<p>Long-term expats complain that expenses have skyrocketed in just a few years. The days are long past when a modern, centrally located, one-bedroom apartment would cost no more than 3,000 yuan (about US$450 per month). Prices have more than doubled, depending on the area.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"9.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FoYNS6GZ4FmAS2cEiOEXcF8gylr_?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"408\" width=\"612\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_former_French_Concession_in_downtown_Shanghai_Photo_iStock\"><\/span>The former French Concession in downtown Shanghai Photo:iStock<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>The former French Concession in downtown Shanghai is one of the most popular locations, featuring fancy mansions with gables, spires and steeples. A small studio here will cost $1,200 per month or more. For young foreigners with little work experience, that can be as much as two-thirds of their salary, said Xie.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong><br \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Bring_The_Kids\"><\/span><span style=\"color: rgb(227, 55, 55);\"><strong>Bring The K<\/strong><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: rgb(227, 55, 55);\">ids<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>From the French Concession, a couple of subway stops under the Huangpu River will take you to Puxi, where ritzy skyscrapers butt up against each other. It\u2019s where families often live in serviced apartments close to international private schools.<\/p>\n<p>Schools are plentiful but expensive. Tuition for a child starts around $1,500 per month, depending on age and school, and a serviced apartment with enough room for a small family starts around $3,500 a month.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"10.png\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FpppceiNVckfbE5FtM7Fumpjq1yk?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"431\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shanghai_International_Schools_Photo_iDEALShanghai\"><\/span>Shanghai International Schools Photo:iDEALShanghai<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>Most of that isn\u2019t paid by expats directly, though.&nbsp;\u201cIf you came with a company and you work at an executive level, you are entitled to a package and they pay for your housing and so on, so you can save a lot,\u201d Xie said.<\/p>\n<p>And even if they didn&#8217;t, tuition and cost of rent won\u2019t break the bank. At least a quarter of expatriates in China make more than $300,000 a year, the highest proportion in any country HSBC surveyed.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter if they are Germans, Brits, Australians or Singaporeans, they come to Shanghai to make money. Some of them stay for two to five years, depending on their adaptability, and when they have saved enough money, they return back home and invest in real estate.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n<p><strong><br \/><\/strong><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Jobs_and_regulations\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: rgb(227, 55, 55);\">Jobs and regulations<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>Managers, bankers, engineers, IT professionals, architects, designers and other highly skilled and experienced foreigners will always find well-paid jobs in Shanghai.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"11.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FitH1yDlHezvUtkchjHZBEMsoCjv?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"392.6666666666667\" width=\"589\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Photo_Job_Find_Jobs\"><\/span>Photo:Job Find Jobs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>Marketing, sales, events, PR and branding are sectors with jobs where less experience is required. Searches on LinkedIn and expat websites with job and apartment listings like Hiredchina or SmartShanghai will get you results for those positions. Preference will be given to those who speak basic Mandarin, and putting an effort into studying it will pay off not just when it comes to job hunts. The Shanghainese are incredibly helpful \u2014 and often impressed \u2014 if foreigners speak the littlest bit of Chinese.<\/p>\n<p>If you do plan to move to Shanghai and have found a job here. To get a Z visa, which allows you to properly work for a company in Shanghai, you need several documents and certificates, from birth certificate to a health check including testing for sexually transmitted infections.<\/p>\n<p>The application will need some days.<\/p>\n<p><\/p>\n<\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Living_It_Up\"><\/span><strong><span style=\"color: rgb(227, 55, 55);\">Living It Up<\/span><\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<\/p>\n<p>Many expats in Shanghai ride an overly crowded subway to work, eat a bowl of dumpling soup from a hole-in-the wall spot for lunch and marvel over elderly men playing Chinese chess in parks.<\/p>\n<p>But what also makes this city so popular for foreigners is that any comfort they know from home is just around the corner.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"12.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/Fq-b_pOsphPOJWVuv1GX55pgo10G?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Shanghai_can_offer_Westerners_home_comforts_too_Here_travellers_and_foreigners_relax_and_drink_coffee_at_Starbucks_in_Xintiandi_Photo_Alamy\"><\/span>Shanghai can offer Westerners home comforts too. Here travellers and foreigners relax and drink coffee at Starbucks in Xintiandi &nbsp;Photo:Alamy<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>\u201cYou also know that Starbucks and good Italian food is just around the corner. It\u2019s a really nice blend of East and West,\u201d said Maura Cunningham, a Philadelphia native who lived in Shanghai for two years while working on her dissertation.<\/p>\n<p>She spent half of her $2,000 a month on her apartment and tailored the rest of her budget to what she could afford. Even with a limited budget, Cunningham could use Shanghai as a base to explore other places in China and in Asia.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"13.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/Fm-iGN3bOCKQjPZxxZiEiUnnovem?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"360\" width=\"640\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n<h5><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Using_Chinas_vast_high-speed_rail_network_major_cities_in_the_region_are_just_an_hour_away_Photo_Getty_Images\"><\/span>Using China\u2019s vast high-speed rail network, major cities in the region are just an hour away Photo:Getty Images<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h5>\n<hr>\n<p>Using high-speed trains, it takes about five hours to get to Beijing, and one hour to get to other major cities in the Yangtze River Delta. Japan is an inexpensive two-hour flight away, and for around $300, the tropical islands of Southeast Asia invite for diving and cocktails on sandy beaches.<\/p>\n<p>Cunningham may not have been able to invest in real estate when she moved back to the US, but her work in Shanghai and her language skills set her up for a job as a programme officer with the National Committee on US-China Relations.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s the common factor for expats in Shanghai that they might move only to further their career and boost their incomes. But most find themselves really enjoying life here.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cI was only there for two years, but I miss it. It\u2019s as much home as Philadelphia,\u201d Cunningham said.<\/p>\n<hr>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"GIC QR.jpg\" style=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/media.hiredchina.com\/FlXXlKXBxtykYAuKbjvAxKMwIbVH?imageView2\/0\/format\/webp\/q\/75\" height=\"543.2937181663837\" width=\"500\" title=\"\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Shanghai is the largest and most cosmopolitan city in China, and its glamour has long been a draw for foreigners from all over the world. For more than 150 years, &#8230;","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25],"tags":[353],"class_list":["post-594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-travel","tag-e-china-cities"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=594"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7775,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/594\/revisions\/7775"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hiredchina.com\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}