AREA INTRODUCTION
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Jing’An is considered the modern part of downtown Shanghai, however not to confuse with the financial district named Lujiazui. The district is home to a beautiful urban and lively environment with many nightlife and shopping opportunities and of course the stunning Jing’an Temple, which the district has been named after.
Jing’An District is one of the most popular areas for foreigners to live as it is central located and offers everything expats would need in daily life like: global cuisines, bars, coffee shops, import supermarkets, bakeries and deli shops. The main metro lines which will go through this district are lines 2, 7, 12 and 13.
It’s likely that your life in the Former French Concession (a.k.a. FFC) will be so fulfilling that you won’t feel the need to leave the area as it has it all. Cozy coffee shops, all types of restaurants, bars, bakeries, butchers, deli shops and import supermarkets, named it and the FFC has it. Besides popular apartment compounds like: Ambassy Court, Chevalier, The Summit, Central Residence, Stanford Xuhui, Joffre Garden, Grand Plaza, Beverly Court and many more which are located in FFC, we can also find a unique type of housing called “Lane Houses”. Lane Houses are traditional Shanghai style housing which were built 60-70 years ago. Lane Houses are in the original old buildings but are often nicely designed, which makes it a popular choice amongst both foreigners and Chinese.
The main metro lines which will go through FFC are; line 1, 7, 10 and 12.
Xintiandi, which is a neighborhood in Huangpu District, is particular popular among Chinese nouveau rich and tourists. This part of the city has many romantic open-air bars with European decoration styles where prices tend to be higher than in most other parts of Shanghai, as it is considered the city’s highest-end area. This relatively small area of Xintiandi is however very popular for executive expats who are looking to rent larger apartments in downtown Shanghai. Popular compounds are; Lakeville Regency, Casa Lakeville, Times Square, Richgate, Yongye Apartment and Fraser Shouning Lu. The main metro lines which will pass Xintiandi are lines 1, 10 and 13.
Xujiahui is a busy shopping and entertainment center in Xuhui district. The area is considered one of the top 10 commercial centers of Shanghai. The area also has multiple office towers with both international and local companies.
Xujiahui has a great mix of low, mid and high-end properties which makes the area a popular choice for all types of residents including expats. Oriental Manhattan, Novel City, Arcadia and Grand Gateway are some of the popular apartment compounds in the area.
The main metro lines which will go through Xujiahui are lines 1, 9 and 11.
Lujiazui is located in Pudong District which is Shanghai’s largest District, covering the entire area on the east side of the Huangpu River. The Lujiazui area in Pudong is the financial district of Shanghai. Experts predict that Shanghai will become the world’s biggest financial hub within a decade. Lujiazui is often called the “Wall Street of China” and has more than 400 banks and financial institutions from both home and abroad, including HSBC, Citibank and Standard Chartered Bank.
Lujiazui has many iconic buildings of which the Shanghai Tower (632 meters in height) is the tallest one in China. Expats who work in Pudong and prefer to live in an apartment, often choose to live in Lujiazui or in surrounding neighborhoods. Popular compounds within 10 minute driving to Lujiazui are Shimao Riviera, Yanlord Garden and Skyline Mansion. Expats with high rental budgets will often also consider to live in a serviced apartment of which Fraser, IFC and Mandarin are some popular examples.
Changning also called Hongqiao area, is popular with expats for it offers a balanced option in between downtown and suburban living. The area is much calmer compared to those in the middle of the city, but the hustle and bustle is still easily reachable by just a few metro stops. It is also an excellent option for expats with families, as many of the world-class international schools are in the area.
Situated west of the Jing’an District, the Zhongshan Park area has gained popularity amongst the expats in the recent years. As not much further away from the city center, the area has become more popular with the rental prices in Jing’an having risen. Zhongshan Park houses a massive shopping center called Cloud Nine, and with metro lines 2, 3 and 4 running through the area downtown is reachable in just a few metro stops.
Things to do in the area include visiting the Shanghai Zoo and shopping at the Hongqiao Pearl Market.
The Huacao area in Minhang District has essentially been developed to serve the expatriate families and the wealthier locals of Shanghai, and therefore houses, many grocery stores, clubhouses, restaurants, health clinics and a wide variety of recreational services are offered in this area. The accommodation options in the area include luxury apartments or townhouses, and grand villas of several hundred square meters in sizes.
One of the main reasons for expatriates to reside in Huacao is its close proximity to many of the best international schools in Shanghai, including the Shanghai American School, British International School, WISS and the French/German School on 20 minutes driving distance. As this area is about 45 minutes driving from downtown, only metro lines 2 and 17 go through this area. The Huacao area in Minhang is very close to the Hongqiao Airport and Train Station, which is an interesting aspect for expats who travel a lot domestically.
Popular compounds are Shanghai Racquette Club, Leewah Villas, Forest Manor, Risen Villa, Stratford and Westwood Green.
Jinqiao in Pudong is arguably the most popular area amongst expat families. Jinqiao was designed specifically for foreigners and will give you the feeling of an American suburb. The area has a lot of greenery and is very suitable for school going children. The international schools in the area include Dulwich College (UK), Concordia International School (USA) and Yew Chung. The most common form of housing are gated communities with Townhouses and Villas.
Qingpu District is mainly popular because of the presence of the French/German School in this area. The most popular housing compounds are Lakeside Villa, Violet Garden, Modern Villa and Contemporary Spirits. The housing options in these compounds are more reasonable priced compared to Minhang and Hongqiao due to the remote location. Nevertheless the compounds and value for money quality is high in this area.
Kangqiao in Pudong is an excellent choice for families with school going children. SCIS and The British School Pudong are both located in the area. The housing options in Kangqiao are slightly cheaper priced than in Jinqiao (Green City) area. In recent years houses in Kangqiao are in higher demand due to the development of Disney Shanghai, which is on a 10-15 minute drive away from the expat residential part of the area. The Emerald and Tiziano Villa are the 2 main choices for expats to live in Kangqiao.
The main metro line which will go through Kangqiao is line 11.