my wife and I are planning on living in China for a year, but we can't decide between Beijing or Shanghai. Is one more assessable for Americans? We live near nyc so we want to be in a more urban environment. Any general tips about living in China would be much appreciated too. Thanks.
2006-06-14 09:19:56 · 14 answers · asked by dewo8 2 in Travel ➔ Asia Pacific ➔ China
Both Beijing and Shanghai are metropolitans that are accessible to foreigners. Both are well developed and have everything you need to get by daily.
If you like historical sites, stay in Beijing. I have been living here as a foreigner for 10 years and never get bored during weekends (I work here).
The weather in Beijing is dry. Hot in the summer and really cold in the winter.
Shanghai is like NYC. You need to get out of the city to enjoy quite lives. But it has more convenience spot like bars and western restaurants. Beijing has the same but not as many.
General tips: Chinese are generally friendly and shy. Be polite to them and you will receive 2 folds of the same courtesy.
Welcome to China
2006-06-15 06:15:56 · answer #1 · answered by OnTheTreadmill 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Despite some who seem to think it is too challenging to live in either Beijing or Shanghai, there are enough expats in either city to make living in these cities more interesting and a fun challenge than a real chore. As a ShanghaiExpat involved in the community here, I am a bit biased, but I can tell you from first hand that living in Shanghai is probably getting easier and easier with more and more commercial development targetted to those who only speak English. With the growth of new community development sites and groups sponsored by good expat ground like Community Center Shanghai (www.ccshanghai.org) and amazing resources for information available both online and in real life organized by ShanghaiExpat.com, moving to Shanghai now is so much easier than it was say even just 3 years ago.
Log into some of those sites, ask questions on their forums and you will likely be able to get a better feel for how things are in Shanghai. Unfortunaltely there are no such sites for Beijing at this time. Either way, good luck and we look forward to welcoming you to Shanghai soon. Cheers!
A few other resources listed below:
2006-06-20 01:06:31 · answer #2 · answered by yu888 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If you are moving in from NYC and want an urban environment, Shanghai is the place to be. It's got a clearly defined down-town, very pedestrian friendly, and loads of places to hang out within walking distance. And of course, Shanghai is far less polluted and definitely has better weather. Downtown apartments are of course 20% more expensive to rent in Shanghai. Beijing doesn't have a downtown.
2006-06-14 22:44:22 · answer #3 · answered by dragonred 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'd recommend Shanghai to be your destination. If you're used to the weather in nyc, you'll find it home at Shanghai. It's humity and hot during summer and wet and cold in winter. Occassionally, it'll snow a little, but not much. In Beijing, during the summer, it's hot and dry. In winter, it's very cold. Not to mention sand storms.
Shanghai is the largest city in China. It's a melting point of all int'l cultures. It's also close to several China's finest tourist cities, such as SuZhou and HangZhou. Shanghai is also a great place to shop.
It's still relatively cheap in terms of cost of living. Don't be surprised if some items (mostly electronics) cost about the same as here in the US. You should also prepare your mindset about crowds and long lines because wherever you go, you'll see people, bicycles, and long lines for something.
It's a great city and you'll never go bored. Enjoy.
2006-06-14 19:39:14 · answer #4 · answered by WH 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i've lived in both cities, and both have amazing qualities that i absolutely loved. beijing is quite spread out, and in some areas it doesnt feel as if you are in a city. it is rather historical though which offers some amazing sightseeing. on the other hand, shanghai feels more like a city. it is very very modern, and you always feel like you are on the go in the city. beijing is cheaper than shanghai, but in comparison to the states, they are both quite cheap. if you are looking for something more like nyc, then shanghai would probably be the place for you!
2006-06-17 02:43:31 · answer #5 · answered by ME 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Shanghai hands down. As mentioned, Beijing is great for Chinese culture and history, but you can check that out by visiting. For living, Shanghai is a much more interesting city, better dining and nightlife, a little more international community flavor, more opportunity to create a niche, no sand storms, better transportation options, and generally safer.
2006-06-16 04:19:50 · answer #6 · answered by Michael C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I were you, I would pick Shanghai. The air pollution is too bad in Beijing. It does not mean that Shanghai is good but relatively better.
2006-06-18 20:47:15 · answer #7 · answered by r11567 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's up to your favorite. Shanghai has strong business atmosphere while Beijing has thick cultural atmosphere. Beijing has also many shopping malls. I think if you want to know real China, you'd better choose Beijing!
www.hnbw.cn
2006-06-14 23:25:32 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For culture and history..nothing beats Beijing..the great wall...the forbidden city..Tianneman square..the summer palace,
but Shanghai is a modern fast paced large city..still has some great areas...but all in all I'd choose Beijing for the culture.
2006-06-15 23:18:01 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Beijing! Food is better, not as cold as shanghai in winter. and the most important is that people are much nicer in beijing. if you try to ask direction on the street of shanghai, people try their best to ignore you. But in beijing, people will even walk you to the place. bdefinitely beijing.
2006-06-15 01:18:06 · answer #10 · answered by Cool Mei 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋