Renting Students Apartments in Shanghai

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Shanghai Students Accommodation: Rent Apartments

How Do International Students Rent Apartments in Shanghai?

For students (either enrolled or not enrolled in our school) who will be staying in Shanghai for less than 3 months, it is strongly advised to arrange accommodation through Mandarinrocks school. It is indeed very difficult to find a landlord willing to rent out a room for only a short time in Shanghai, and the price is often driven up by a short contract. You can check out our housing options located in central Shanghai and contact us at info@mandarinrocks.com for further details and bookings. If you tend to rent apartment on your own, here are some tips.

There are numerous real estate agencies on streets (like what's shown on picture) that can help you look for apartments (English skill among them is zero or rare, bring a Chinese friend with you if possible). As the housing price in Shanghai is getting very expensive (an average 100m2 apartment costs around 1~2 million US dollars close to city center), the rent won’t be as cheap as you might think if you haven’t been here recently.

Average Rent in Shanghai:
Price is for an “okay” apartment based on one year lease. By okay, it means on a scale of 0-10, 0 being horrible and 10 being luxurious, the apartment is approximately graded 5-6. Short term lease will definitely be more expensive if applicable. For a luxurious apartment, expect to pay double or triple the amount stated below. Electricity, gas, water bills, internet, phone, cable is never included in the rent. Expect a minimum of 200rmb per month for moderate use.

Central areas (popular areas such as Jing’an, Huangpu, Xujiahui etc)
-One bedroom apartment: 6000-9000RMB (very few, mostly in old residential complexes)
-Two bedroom apartment: 9000-12000RMB
-Three bedroom apartments: 12000-18000RMB
Outskirts (less desirable areas such as Zhabei, Putuo, Hongkou, Yangpu, Pudong etc).
-One bedroom apartment: 4000-6000RMB (very few, mostly in old residential complexes)
-Two bedroom apartment: 6000-9000RMB
-Three bedroom apartments: 9000-12000RMB

Please Note:
1 When you rent an apartment through a real estate agency, you need to pay 35% of one month rent to them (regardless how long you stay, so does your landlord) as service charge.
2 You need to pay deposit equaling 1 or 2 months rent to the landlord. If you move out earlier than signed date on contract, deposit will be kept by landlord.
3 You need to pay three months rent at once before move in and pay every three months afterwards.
4 The apartments are normal apartments without room service. Serviced apartments in Shanghai target professional and expatriates. Monthly rent of 2000-5000USD is considered normal.
5 Search for sublet information on classified ads websites such as craigslist, chinadaily and probably you can find a good deal for short term stay or saving service fee to agencies.
6 Theoretically, it’s still possible to find a room for less than 2000rmb a month, but conditions and safety are always appalling. Thus, DON'T bother to look for surprisingly cheap apartments unless you are ready to live like a hobo.

Temporary Residence Registration
Shanghai local authority requires that you register your accommodation within three days upon arriving in Shanghai (does not matter whether you come from abroad or other places in China). By law it is a must, but by practice, unless you plan to extend or apply for a new visa in Shanghai, it’s useless for you. Police rarely check it. The airport authorities won’t check if you have one or not when you are leaving, nor will it leave bad record or affect your next visit. Registering accommodation may incur extra fee. If you feel obliged to get one, have your landlord go with you to nearby police station for registration; your friend or family living in Shanghai should go with you to nearby police station for registration if you stay with them.

We also found a website that offers many options for short term apartment rentals in Shanghai named HomeyShanghai.com that's worth checking out!

Want to take a Mandrin course in Shanghai? Check out our Shanghai School to discover all the options we offer!

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Contact Details
MandarinRocks (Shanghai)
Tel +86 21 62550715
Fax +86 21 62883988
E-mail: info@mandarinrocks.com

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