Shanghai - Post Report Question and Answers
What is your housing like? What are typical housing sizes, locations, and commute times for expatriates?
Housing was a high rise apartment in the most elite part of town. Apartments will be small by most standards but that is the result of living in one of the most expensive cities in the world. There are other apartments scattered about the city and housing compounds in the western suburbs. Childless couples and singles lived downtown; people with school-aged kids lived in the suburbs. While there are always complainers, people seemed generally happy with where they lived. Living in the swanky apartment could be a 2 minute elevator ride to work, or a 10 minute walk to the Consular section. Otherwise it's 20-30 minutes on the metro which is fast, safe, and convenient. Personally, I don't think the super deluxe high rise apartment was the best housing but I may be in the minority. - Nov 2020
Government-assigned housing at luxury apartment in downtown Shanghai. State Department employees reside in high quality housing. - Apr 2017
Adequate and with a super-short commute. - Oct 2016
Housing varies widely. Most government and expat housing is on the nicer end. Though international teachers and others living more on the local economy certainly end up with more local-like living (small apartments, no washer, never a dryer, no parking) etc. Traffic is HORRENDOUS. Live close to work. Buy an electric bike. - Dec 2014
Most foreigners in Shanghai rent apartments through agencies or classified ads. I'm not totally clear on the big expat neighborhoods, but most seem to live around Xuhui, places around universities, or close to West Nanjing Road. Generally, the closer you are to the city center (People's Square, West Nanjing Road), the more expensive it's going to be, but you can find reasonably priced apartments if you look carefully. I live in a pretty mixed Chinese-expat neighborhood near the city center, and my commute is a very pleasant 20-minute walk. - Aug 2014
Consulate employees live in several different locations. My housing is in the center of town, in the corporate housing apartments attached to the Ritz Carlton. My office is nearby, so commute time is about 10 minutes. However traffic here is terrible. If you live further from work be ready for the commute. - Aug 2011
Shanghai has an oversupply of appointed western housing, and endless supply of unique, and suitable, Shanghai housing in apartment blocks, old houses, old apartments, and odd spaces. As for the commute time, always best to live close to your place of employment. - Dec 2010
Housing facilities are good. There is lots to choose from. Commuting is easy with metro trains, also taxis. - Jul 2010
Consulate housing is split between downtown serviced apartments in one of the best buildings in the city, and very nice compound housing out near the schools in Hongqiao. All are top notch, with great service from the building/compound, in good areas with tons to offer, very convenient and comfortable. Just outstanding. The commute from downtown is 5 minutes, from the suburbs it depends on traffic - 30 on a good day, 45 on a bad one. I'm in Hongqiao, which - other than the commute - I love. - Feb 2009
Housing tends to be very nice depending on who is paying for it. If you are here with a foreign government then you will either live in very very nice apartments in the heart of the city, or live in a large villa about 30min-1hr commute from downtown. - Jun 2008
