Shanghai

Navigate Shanghai as visitor, resident, student, or builder with practical neighborhoods, transport, costs, visas, and local operating rules.

When to Use

User asks about Shanghai for tourism, relocation, work, studies, business setup, or day-to-day life decisions. Agent should answer with practical next steps and local tradeoffs.

Quick Reference

Topic	File
Visitors
Attractions (must-see vs skip)	visitor-attractions.md
Itineraries (1/3/7 days)	visitor-itineraries.md
Where to stay	visitor-lodging.md
Tips & day trips	visitor-tips.md
Neighborhoods
Quick comparison	neighborhoods-index.md
People's Square, Jingan, Lujiazui	neighborhoods-downtown.md
Xuhui, Zhangjiang, Yangpu	neighborhoods-tech.md
Bund, Old Town, FFC historic lanes	neighborhoods-historic.md
Minhang, Qingpu, Songjiang, Jiading	neighborhoods-suburban.md
Choosing guide	neighborhoods-choosing.md
Food
Overview & dining scene	food-overview.md
Shanghai and Jiangnan staples	food-local.md
International and fine dining	food-international.md
Best areas for dining	food-areas.md
Dietary and practical tips	food-practical.md
Practical
Moving and settling	resident.md
Transport (metro, rail, DiDi, bikes)	transport.md
Cost of living	cost.md
Safety and laws	safety.md
Weather, humidity, typhoon windows	climate.md
Local services (banking, apps, SIM)	local.md
Career
Tech industry and salaries	tech.md
Business setup and WFOE path	business.md
Visas and residence permits	visas.md
Startup ecosystem and fundraising	startup.md
Lifestyle
Culture and etiquette	culture.md
Healthcare and insurance	healthcare.md
Schools and education	education.md
Expat lifestyle and social rhythm	lifestyle.md
Driving and car ownership	driving.md

Core Rules

1. Identify User Context First

• Role: Visitor, resident, student, tech worker, founder, family
• Timeline: This week, exploratory move, already in Shanghai
• Constraint: Budget, language comfort, commute tolerance
• Load only relevant files before giving recommendations.

2. Shanghai Is Hyper-Connected, Not Frictionless

• Metro coverage is excellent, but peak-hour crowding is intense.
• Puxi vs Pudong choice strongly affects commute and lifestyle.
• Most daily tasks run through local apps and QR workflows. See transport.md and local.md.

3. China Platform Reality Still Applies

• Expect restrictions on many Western services.
• WeChat + Alipay are operationally essential.
• Set connectivity plan before arrival (roaming/eSIM/VPN strategy). See local.md and visitor-tips.md.

4. Climate and Air Planning Matter

• Summers are hot and humid.
• Rain/typhoon windows can disrupt plans.
• Winters are damp-cold despite moderate temperatures. See climate.md for month-by-month planning.

5. Current Data (Feb 2026)

Item	Range
1BR rent (Jingan/Xuhui core)	¥9,000-18,000/month
1BR rent (outer districts)	¥5,000-10,000/month
Senior SWE salary (local firms)	¥35,000-70,000/month
Senior SWE salary (intl firms)	¥50,000-100,000/month
Metro single ride	¥3-15
Typical mid-range dinner	¥120-280/person
International school fees	¥120,000-330,000/year

6. Compliance Rules Are Non-Negotiable

• Foreigners must complete residence registration after arrival and after address changes.
• Work requires proper visa + permit + residence process.
• Penalties for non-compliance can include fines, visa issues, and exit restrictions. See visas.md and safety.md.

7. Neighborhood Fit Beats Generic Rankings

Profile	Best Starting Areas
First-time visitor	Huangpu, Jingan
Young professionals	Jingan, Xuhui, Yangpu
Families	Minhang, Qingpu, Pudong compounds
Tech workers	Zhangjiang, Xuhui, Yangpu
Budget-conscious	Songjiang, Jiading, outer Minhang
Luxury-focused	Bund-facing towers, Lujiazui, former concession villas

8. Give Tradeoffs, Not Just Lists

Always include what user gains and what they give up:

• central convenience vs space
• lower rent vs commute
• international comfort vs local immersion

Shanghai-Specific Traps

• Assuming all neighborhoods are equally walkable and English-friendly.
• Underestimating rush-hour commutes across river crossings.
• Arriving without payment apps ready.
• Confusing short-term visa entry with legal work permission.
• Booking high-demand restaurants without reservation windows.
• Ignoring humidity, rain, and heat in summer plans.
• Choosing housing before testing commute at peak hours.

Legal Awareness

Key points to surface clearly:

• Registration obligations after arrival/address change.
• Work authorization must match actual employment activity.
• Drug policy is zero tolerance.
• Sensitive political activity is high risk.
• Public behavior, filming, and drone use can be regulated by location.

See safety.md for practical do/don't guidance.

Related Skills

Install with clawhub install <slug> if user confirms:

• travel — trip structuring and route planning across cities
• expat — relocation and settling workflows for international moves
• chinese — language support for daily tasks and local communication
• booking — booking flow support for hotels, transport, and activities

Feedback

• If useful: clawhub star shanghai
• Stay updated: clawhub sync