City guide · Updated June 2026
AsiaChina31.2° · 121.5°
Shanghai,China.
A gleaming metropolis blending ultramodern architecture with centuries of culture.
Shanghai · CN
ShanghaiChina
★
Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)NEAREST AIRPORT
Population
24,908,490
Total residents
Global rank
#674
Wanderlust index
Best time
Spring (April–May) and autumn…
Peak window
Time zone
Asia/Shanghai
Local time
Currency
Chinese Yuan (CNY)
Money in use
Language
Mandarin Chinese (Shanghai dialect also spoken)
Spoken locally
01 · Overview
About Shanghai
A gleaming metropolis blending ultramodern architecture with centuries of culture.
Shanghai is China's largest and most cosmopolitan city, renowned for its iconic skyline, financial markets, and vibrant cultural scene. From the Bund's historic waterfront to cutting-edge museums and world-class dining, it offers sophistication at scale. The city seamlessly merges traditional Chinese heritage with contemporary innovation.
02 · Wanderlust scorecard
How Shanghai scores
Ratings run 0 to 5 unless marked. They come from our AI-assisted research and are refreshed on a rolling basis.
2.6
/ 5
Cost of living
Affordability, 0–5. Higher means cheaper.
4.9
/ 5
Leisure
Leisure rating, 0–5.
1
Mbps
Connectivity
Median internet speed.
4.9
/ 5
Safety
Safety rating, 0–5. Higher is safer.
3.8
/ 5
Overall livability
Overall rating, 0–5.
3
/ 5
Air quality
Air-quality rating, 0–5. Higher is cleaner.
6.7
index
Index score
Wanderlust ranking, 0–10: overall, safety, internet, cost, leisure and air quality, weighted.
03 · Weather & when to go
Best time to visit Shanghai
Current weather and the forecast, and the months our research rates best for a visit.
Month by month
Best months Either side Other months
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Sweet spot: Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer mild weather and clear skies—ideal for exploring the city's landmarks and parks..
More cities for these months: Where to go in April · Where to go in May · Where to go in September · Where to go in October
04 · Things to do
Things to do in Shanghai
Top sights from our AI-assisted research, and other places we have photos of.
Top sight
Oriental Pearl Tower
Photo: This Photo was taken by Supanut Arunoprayote . Feel free to use any of my images, but please mention me as the author and may send me a message. (สามารถใช้ภาพได้อิสระ แต่กรุณาใส่เครดิตผู้ถ่ายและอาจส่ง ข้อความบอกกล่าวด้วย ) Please do not upload an updated image here without consultation with the Author. The author would like to make corrections only at his own source. This ensures that the changes are preserved. Please if you think that any changes should be required, please inform the author. Otherwise you can upload a new image with a new name. Please use one of the templates derivative or extract . · CC BY 4.0
Top sight
Top sight
Shanghai Museum
Top sight
Top sight
Jing'an District
Top sight
Top sight
Pudong skyline
Top sight
Top sight
French Concession
Place
Place
Shanghai
In 2016, Shanghai was named the most attractive city for expats for the fourth time in six years by International Talent Magazine. 48,000 expats were polled and asked to rank their city on categories such as living environment and policies for foreign professionals. Shanghai was home to more than 170,000 expats as of 2015.
05 · Monthly cost of living
Cost of living in Shanghai
Estimated monthly totals in USD from our AI-assisted research, one per profile. Treat them as a starting point for a budget, not a quote.
$2,500
estimated monthly spend · USDProfileExpat
Price references — vs. profile benchmarks
Nomadmonthly spend · USD
$1,800
-28%
Expatmonthly spend · USD
$2,500
baseline
Familymonthly spend · USD
$17,793.3
+612%
Localmonthly spend · USD
$4,970.3
+99%
Median fiber speeddownload · Mbps
1
Mbps
06 · Neighborhoods
Where to stay in Shanghai
Neighborhoods our AI-assisted research lists as popular with visitors.
The Bund
Pudong
French Concession
Jing'an
07 · Insider tips
Sights and neighbourhoods, with a tip each.
Practical tips on places from this Shanghai guide, written with AI. One is free; Pro members see the rest. Double-check details before you go.
Insider tips · Wanderlust Pro
Practical tips on the sights and neighbourhoods in this Shanghaiguide — when to go, what most visitors miss. Written with AI about the guide's own places; double-check details before you go. Pro members see every tip.
08 · Practical notes
Practical information for Shanghai
The essentials from this guide's data, in one place.
01
Getting there
- Nearest airport — Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
02
Money
- Currency — Chinese Yuan (CNY)
- Affordability — 2.6/5 on the Wanderlust index (higher is cheaper)
03
Internet
- Median speed — 1 Mbps
- Internet score — 0.1/5
04
Safety
- Safety score — 4.9/5 from our AI-assisted research
05
Language
- Primary language — Mandarin Chinese (Shanghai dialect also spoken)
06
Timing
- Best window — Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer mild weather and clear skies—ideal for exploring the city's landmarks and parks.
- Time zone — Asia/Shanghai
Questions
Frequently asked, plainly answered.
The quick answers travelers want before they commit to flights, neighborhoods, and how long to stay.
Is Shanghai safe for travelers?+
Shanghai has a safety rating of 4.9 out of 5.
What is the best time to visit Shanghai?+
The best time to visit Shanghai is Spring (April–May) and autumn (September–October) offer mild weather and clear skies—ideal for exploring the city's landmarks and parks..
How expensive is Shanghai?+
Shanghai has an affordability score of 2.6 out of 5, where 5 is most affordable.
What is the internet speed in Shanghai?+
Shanghai has an average internet speed of 1 Mbps.
What currency does Shanghai use?+
The currency used in Shanghai is Chinese Yuan (CNY).
What language is spoken in Shanghai?+
The primary language spoken in Shanghai is Mandarin Chinese (Shanghai dialect also spoken).
Work-ready layer
Coworking spots and laptop-friendly anchors.
Real coworking spaces, laptop-friendly cafés, and libraries mapped near the center of the city — the closest, best-rated desks first.
Spots surfaced0
Categories—
Mapped0
No coworking-ready spots surfaced for this city yet.
Map pending
No mapped workspace points yet.
Pick a different category or check back once we’ve indexed more desks for this city.
Concierge
Ask the Shanghai concierge.
Share your travel style, must-see spots, or work schedule and the concierge will help turn this guide into something personal.
Personal trip brief
Tell it what kind of trip you're trying to have, and it will tighten the plan.
01
Travel style
Ask for cafés, quiet neighborhoods, date-night spots, or a first 48-hour plan.
02
Work constraints
Mention calls, Wi-Fi needs, or how much of the day has to stay laptop-friendly.
03
Real tradeoffs
Get faster answers on where to stay, when to move neighborhoods, and what to skip.
Traveler reviews
Reviews of Shanghai
Written by signed-in Wanderlust members. We don't check that a reviewer has visited.
No reviews of Shanghai yet.
Plan a trip to Shanghai.
Tell the planner your dates, who's coming, your budget and pace, and it drafts a day-by-day itinerary you can edit.
Saved by 8 Wanderlusters
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Insider tips for Shanghai, unlimited AI-built itineraries, and travel companions you can invite to plan a trip together. From $5.00/month, billed annually.