r/shanghai

How are we doing parents? How is it raising kids in Shanghai right now? Are there any good affordable options that aren’t international schools? Any hybrid options where they don’t have to go to school for such long hours every day?

Would love to hear about your experiences.

I know this is a long shot, but is anyone aware of any theaters showing Niu Lai with English subtitles, or that has a closed caption attachment with auto translate? Leaving China soon and Shanghai is my last stop. I’m already watching it on YouTube with English subs but would love the theater experience as well. If not, I’ll just go to the theater and coast on vibes lmao.

I landed yesterday morning and I'm feeling quite isolated, I'm a bit of an introvert so I thought I'd be in heaven here, but I'm starting to feel lonely, where the best place for a social atmosphere? I'm open to most stuff.

The only conversation I've had is people trying to sell me watches, and the 4 ladies of the night asking how I am while I wait for my Didi 😅

> My chinese not good enough to read through the details on Pingan app or other sites

> Looking for an insurance tailored to my need around mid-high private chinese insurance

> Need someone ( may be a broker that you think is good) to guide me through some options

Do you have any suggestions. Thank you so much.

Any recommendation where I can go shop for wedding guest dress or cocktail dress? I know a lot of the stores inflate the price. I used to know a few boutique stores but they are no longer there.

I will go to Shangai soon, and I thought that it was a good idea to try and find a 3ds somewhere there. Are there any working shops that sell these types of handhelds? Also, I saw a lot of old posts about a shop at 1600 Beijing Xi Lu; Does it still work?

A last minute spot opened up and we're thinking of sending our son to this school for 1st grade. Would be happy to get any input from people who have worked there or parents sending kids there. Thank you!

I started this group last year for English-speaking girls in Shanghai who wanted to meet other girls, make genuine friendships, and have people to do life with and now I’m opening it up to some new faces!
Can organize brunches, coffee dates, walks, workouts, dinners, spontaneous plans, and whatever else sounds fun.
It’s also a space to ask the questions you’d normally text your girlfriends about where to get your nails done, which salon is actually good, local recommendations, self-care, medical stuff, navigating Shanghai, and all the random little things that come with living here.
Just a **girls-only, positive space** to meet people and hopefully leave with a few new friends. ♡
If you’re in Shanghai and this sounds like your kind of thing, Please DM me so I can invite you in ♡

i pick people up from the airport here sometimes and honestly the same few things trip everyone up. figured i'd share in case it helps someone before they come.

esim — this is the big one. so many people land at pudong with a dead phone basically. no signal, airport wifi wants a chinese number, and they can't even open a map or message anyone. if you're coming, sort out an esim before you fly. activate it before you land. don't wait till you're standing at arrivals.

vpn — everyone knows about the firewall but half the people i pick up didn't actually test their vpn first. then they land and google/whatsapp/insta just don't work and they panic. test it before you come, and have a backup one installed. seriously.

train tickets — this one catches people off guard. buying high speed train tickets as a foreigner can be a pain if you don't have the right setup, and the ticket machines/apps aren't always english friendly. if you're planning to travel between cities, don't leave it till the last minute at the station.

anyway not a complete list, just the stuff i see over and over. anyone else run into other first-day headaches here? curious what i'm missing.

I am a student going to study in Shanghai and unfortunately the school dormitories are already full so I have to rent an apartment myself. However I am not sure about how everything goes. Can anyone please rec agents or ways to find an apartment to rent? Also would appreciate if you could point out things i should look out for and make sure of. PLS and thanks

Is 30–34k RMB/month enough to live comfortably in Minhang, Shanghai?

I’ve received a job offer for a middle school drama position in Minhang:

27,000 RMB/month pre-tax salary

10,000 RMB/month housing allowance

Housing allowance can apparently be tax-free with the proper fapiao

Based on my calculations, I’d take home roughly 20.5k/month with social insurance or 24k without, plus the 10k housing allowance. So effectively 30.5–34k RMB/month including housing.

About me:

Black, native English speaker from the US

Bachelor’s + TEFL

5+ years teaching experience, entering my 4th year teaching in China

Fairly frugal; I’d go out maybe twice a month, drink occasionally, and spend money on live theater from time to time. Otherwise, I’m happy staying home and saving

Is this a good salary for living comfortably in Minhang? What would be a reasonable monthly salary for my lifestyle?

Also, what’s the typical rent for a 1–2 bedroom apartment in Minhang, and how much could I realistically save each month on this offer?

Let's define terms first so we're not arguing past each other.

Then = anything before 2018. That was the prime. 2022 = we don't need to relitigate it. Worst year. Moving on. Now = 2026. Honestly? Fine. Not great, not bad. Fine.

Five things that were better then:

1. Rent. You could be broke and still live somewhere interesting.
2. The food that had no name. No sign, no mini-program, no packaging. A guy and a corner. When those closed they didn't reopen anywhere else.
3. Lilongs before they got restored. Coal stove in the alley. Now it's a design object with a coffee shop in it.
4. Fewer of us. You knew everyone. You knew who was leaving before they announced it.
5. The feeling that everything was about to get better. That was the actual amenity. No restaurant replaces it.

Five things that are better now:

1. You can walk. Both riverbanks, the small streets. Genuinely transformed.
2. The average restaurant. Fewer great dodgy places, much higher floor.
3. The air. People forget how bad it was.
4. Raising a kid here. Not close.
5. Nobody bothers you. Still the best thing about this city.

So 2026 is fine. I think most of what we miss is being young in a city that was still being built, which isn't the same as missing the city.

you thoughts?

Hello, I'll be travelling with my mom soon and would like to know how safe is it for women in terms of being able to walk around and enjoy Shanghai till 11pm.

Hi all,

Will be in Shanghai 10/23 - 10/29. Hoping to make a reservation at Ren He Guan (人和馆) -- preferably at their Zhaojiabang Road location -- for four people for dinner.

Can't make heads or tails of their WeChat mini app -- how are reservations usually made with 人和馆? Over the phone?

If I could also use a concierge service, I would be interested to hear recommendations for one.

Thank you!

Does anyone have experience with Roxella's cosmetology in Shanghai? Please share.

Hey! This is a bit of a long shot but I’ve been thinking about it recently and thought I’d throw it out here.

I’m looking for a fitness group that is strictly for low pressure accountability. By that I mean, not for fitness advice or events or even a specific kind of activity, but just for check ins that you’ve done your movement. Does anyone know of anything like this? I’d be happy to join an already existing group.

If it doesn’t already exist though, would anyone else be interested in this kind of group? I’m also happy setting up a small group for us, cuz I know I would benefit from this type of group.

The purpose would be a really simple low pressure accountability group. In my head, it would work like this:
- everyone sets their own goals and how often they want to do it
- you can share your goal or keep it private
- no unsolicited fitness/diet advice unless specifically asked
- if you complete something, just snap a pic and send it to the chat
- pics can be gym selfies or just whatever is around you (a tree in the park you walked in, your water bottle, a bike, literally anything)
- no comparing bodies, performance, weight, etc.

That’s pretty much it.

I know not a lot of already regularly active people would benefit from this, but I was thinking it might be good for those of us who would like to move more but also struggle to actually do it without a little accountability.

If you’re interested, just let me know!